Christopher Columbus was born in Italy in 1451 and grew up in a merchant family. He became interested in sailing as a teenager and made many voyages to Africa and Asia, gaining knowledge of ocean currents and trade routes. In 1492, Columbus received funding from the Spanish monarchs to sail west in search of a route to Asia. On his first voyage, he landed in the Bahamas instead of Asia, believing he had reached India. He established a settlement and returned to Spain with goods and native captives. His voyages opened the Americas to European colonization but had disastrous effects on native populations through disease, violence and exploitation. Columbus died in 1506 still believing he had reached Asia.

1. Christopher ColumbusThe story behind the sailor

2. Columbus day Occurs annually every second Monday in OctoberColumbus has been accredited for opening up the Americas to European colonizationHe also was one of few people who believed that the world was round, not flat

3. Facts of Columbus before he was famousBorn in 1451 in Italy, which at the time was Republic of Genoa.Columbus was born into a merchant home and did not get involved in sailing until he was a teenager

4. Development of Christopher ColumbusMarried and settled to FelipaPerestrello in Lisbon, PortugalThey both had one son who was named Diego around 1480Felipa died after the family moved to SpainColumbus had another son in 1488 with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana out of wedlock

5. First voyage in Atlantic Almost cost him his lifeAttacked by French privateersColumbus escaped by swimming to shoreThe shore he swam to was Lisbon, Portugal where he later met his future wife

6. Sailor COlumbusTravelled to Africa through many trading expeditionsGained more knowledge of the Atlantic current flowing east and west with every journey Travelled to India and China for tradeThe route was dangerous because of war with Middle EastLed to thinking of a different route for going west to India and China

7. Rough StartExperts disagreed with ColumbusDistance was further than anticipatedWidely believed that the earth was flatRejectionPortugalGenoaVeniceSpainThe Spanish monarch took interest but rejected Columbus due to the war that they were engaging with the Middle East

8. Persistant!Columbus continued to speak with the royal court numerous times during the war War was finally over in January 1492Columbus was well funded with three shipsColumbus left that August with permission of the courts

9. The Three RangersColumbus was given three ships to sail across the ocean blueSanta MariaPintaNiña36 days of sailing across the AtlanticLanded not in the Americas but the Bahamas!There he met local natives

10. Under Attack?No, Natives were timid but friendlyThey traded with Columbus and his crewColumbus also noticed the golden jewerly that the natives were wearingThis foreshadowed catastrophic events that will come in the futureHe built a village because the boat Santa Maria wrecked on the coast

11. Return Home 39 men stayed behind to attend the town Two of the three ships (Niña and Pinta) returned to Spain by 1493They brought the good news (thinking that they had reached Asia)

12. Continuous VoyagesWhen Columbus returned he found out that the village he left behind was burned to the ground and the people were massacred.Columbus came back to further explore for gold along the land that he has come acrossHis third voyage, he finally encountered the mainland (Venezuela)

13. Mutiny!The new settlers and crew claimed that they were misled and lied to with poor managementColumbus was brought before court in chains and brought on trialThe charges were eventually dropped but Columbus was stripped of his title of governor of the Indies

14. Last voyageA few years later Columbus convinced King Ferdinand using riches to persuade him to permit this voyage even after all the trouble Columbus had caused Last voyage was in 1502While along the eastern coast of Central America, a storm led to his ship being wrecked

15. Troubled Times with IslandersIslanders were fed up with the poor treatment and the European gold obsession They did not supply the Europeans with food like they did in the pastRetaliationColumbus threatened the islanders by stating he was going to punish them!He claimed he had the power of taking the moon awayKnowing a lunar eclipse was going to occurIt scared the Natives back into tradeEventually a rescue party came in November of 1504

16. Near the end of Columbus’ lifeHe did regain some of the riches with that last expedition but Columbus never regained his title of Governor Columbus died May 20th, 1506 He left this world with the impression that he discovered Asia

17. Mixed LegacyProsHe opened up a trade route to AmericasProved that the world was indeed roundConsDestruction of native peoplesDid not find a new easier trade route to IndiaOverallAffected every society on the planet by the transfer of plants, animals, disease and cultures.

18. Work citedInformation found at:"Christopher Columbus. biography." bio. True Story. A&E Television Networks, 2011. Web. 6 Oct 2011. <http://www.biography.com/people/christopher-columbus-9254209?page=1 >.All pictures found from Microsoft Clip Art