Christopher Columbus Essay

One of the many known explorers to come to America from Europe is Christopher Columbus. He was born in 1451. It was in Genoa between August and October. His father was a weaver and a merchant. Christopher went to sea as a young teenager. He travelled a lot and made Portugal his base. Columbus want to attempt to sail to the Indes who king Ferdinand and queen Isabella agreed to sponsor for. August 3 1492, Columbus and his fleet set sail across the Atlantic. After about two and a half months Columbus and his crew sighted land. Columbus and a group of his men set foot on the island on October 12. This island became known as the Bahamas. They had believed they had reached the Indes, so they called the natives Indians. Encounters between the explorers and Indians were friendly, but populations all over America were soon to be destroyed by the Europeans. Columbus also landed on Cuba and Hispaniola and went back to Spain in triumph. He was called ‘admiral of the seven seas’ and viceroy of the Indies. A few months later he set off again on a second and larger voyage. More territory was found and covered but the islands remained elusive. Others began to question Christopher Columbus whether it was the Orient or a completely new world. Columbus’ exploration to the Bahamas was significant in my opinion because he made people believe that they could go out and sail and not be in fear and explore just like he did. Columbus was brave enough to go out and explore the world and had a dream that he thought he could accomplish. Only he did semi-accomplish this he still went out to the new world with just his fleet and did something amazing that at the time he or on one else knew what he actually did. He set the mark for the first exploration to America and that will be forever remembered. Columbus made further voyages to newfound territories but was defeated and suffered humiliation along the way. As a great navigator Columbus was less successful as an administrator and was accused of mismanagement. He died May 20 1506, he was very wealthy but he died a disappointed man in result of his mismanagement.

My second explorer who I thought had an influence on America with his exploration is John Cabot. John Cabot, in Italian Giovanni Caboto, was born in Genoa, Although a citizen of Venice, he obtained letters-patent from Henry VII of England in 1496 for a voyage of discovery. He crossed the Atlantic in 1497 and touched on the mainland of North America which is thought to be the Labrador coast. In May 1497, Cabot sailed west from Bristol in a small ship, the Matthew, with a crew of 18 men. He sighted land on June 24, 1497. Cabot had probably reached either the island of Newfoundland or Cape Breton Island, which is now part of Nova Scotia. He claimed the land for England. Cabot believed he had reached Asia. Although the did not find the riches he had hoped for, he did find the important fishing area now called the Grand Banks. Cabot returned to England in August 1497, and announced that he had reached Asia. He was called the Great Admiral. In 1498, the king and several merchants paid for a second voyage. Cabot sailed from Bristol with five ships, intending to explore southward from the place where he had landed. Storms forced one ship back to England. No one knows what happened to Cabot and the other four vessels. Most historians believe he was lost at sea. Cabot is only reported to have landed once during the expedition and did not advance "beyond the shooting distance of a crossbow" Letters written of the voyage indicate that no contact was made with any native people, but they found the remains of a fire, a human trail, nets and a wooden tool. On his first voyage Cabot sailed in a small ship called the Matthew. On his second voyage Cabot assembled a small fleet of 5 ships and 300 men. John cabots exploration was significant because just like Columbus he accomplished something he didn’t get credit for now until now. He was able to go out

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