Heading West to Reach the East
Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451. His career in exploration started when he was very young. As a teenager he traveled the seas and eventually made Portugal his base. Columbus came to believe that the East Indies (present-day Indonesia and surrounding islands) could be reached by sailing west through the Atlantic Ocean. He appealed to the kings of Portugal, France, and England to finance a westward trip to the Indies, but all denied his request. After ten years of monumental efforts but fruitless results, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to finance Columbus in the hopes of acquiring great wealth. On August 3, 1492, Columbus, crew, and three ships, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, left Palos, Spain, and headed westward.
Land Sighted!
After stopping in the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, Columbus’s ships hit the open seas. Covering about 150 miles a day, the trip was long and arduous. The crew was afraid of sea monsters and grew more restless every day that land was not sighted. Columbus offered a reward for the first person to sight land. On October 12, a crew member aboard the Pinta sighted one of the Bahama Islands. Columbus set foot on what he believed was one of the Spice Islands, a group of islands in Asia (now known as Indonesia), where valuable spices and riches came from. He named the land San Salvador. Columbus failed to find the riches he expected and continued to search for China. He next visited Cuba and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). He encountered native peoples who he named “Indians” because he believed they were inhabitants of the Indies. Columbus enslaved many of these people and forced them to mine for riches. Countless native peoples died as a result of Columbus's actions; many others died of disease.
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| The Landing of Columbus by John Vanderlyn (1847) |
I Did Find a Shortcut to the Indies!
Columbus returned to Spain a hero. He was named Viceroy of the Indies. He soon returned to the New World but never found the riches he expected. Some began to believe that Columbus had found “a new world” rather than a shortcut to the Indies.
Legacy
Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the continent of North America, although he probably wasn’t the first explorer to see the continent, and he believed until his death that the islands he encountered were in the Asian continent. His discoveries were instrumental in the establishment of Spanish colonies in North America. Today, we celebrate Columbus Day in October to commemorate his discoveries.
Christopher Columbus Articles and Activities
- Christopher Columbus Printable Reading Comprehension - This resource includes a historical passage and ten multiple choice questions.
- Christopher Columbus Online Reading Comprehension - This resource includes a historical passage and eight multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback. In addition, when you click the "listen" button, you can hear the passage while it highlights the text.
- Christopher Columbus Online Reading Comprehension - Conextual Vocabulary Focus - This resource includes a historical passage and five multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback.
- Christopher Columbus Online Reading Comprehension - Main Idea Focus - This resource includes a historical passage and five multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback.
- Christopher Columbus Online Reading Comprehension - Sequencing Focus - This resource includes a historical passage and five multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback.
- Christopher Columbus Online Reading Comprehension - Details Focus - This resource includes a historical passage and five multiple choice questions. It gives immediate feedback.
- Christopher Columbus Correct-me Passage - This fun activity requires students to correct a passage about Christopher Columbus that has ten factual errors. Students first must discover the errors, then click on them and select the correct answer from the drop down menu.
- Christopher Columbus Fact or Fiction - Online - This fun activity requires students to read a Christopher Columbus passage and then, to sort 10 statements into those that are facts and those that are fiction.
- Christopher Columbus Fact or Fiction - Printable - This fun activity requires students to read a Christopher Columbus passage and then, to sort 10 statements into those that are facts and those that are fiction.
- Virtual History Teacher - Grading a Christopher Columbus Test - Students play the role of a virtual history teacher and must grade responses to three questions about Christopher Columbus. Each response is incomplete, and students must fill in the missing information in the "response" section. Students can use the Christopher Columbus biography for reference.
- Christopher Columbus Topic Sentence and Supporting Details - This printable activity requires students to select sentences from a series of sentences that fit under the given topic sentence, and to construct a paragraph based on the logical order of the selected sentences.
- Christopher Columbus Online Paralaugh - This activity functions like an online mad lib. Students must add parts of speech to create a hilarious story.
- Columbus Day, or Not So Much? - This writing prompt requires students to determine whether or not Columbus should get his own holiday, and if not, what famous person should replace him and why?
- Overrated - Was Columbus Overrated in World History? - This writing prompt requires students to consider an argument that Christopher Columbus was overrated in history. It then asks students to write about something they consider overrated.
