Christopher Columbus Essay -- Christopher Columbus Essays

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451. He was named Christofero Columbo, after the patron saint. His father was Donenico Columbo, a weaver and wool dealer. Columbus had two brothers, Diego and Bartolome. Historians are certain that Columbus was not a noble. Columbus's crew on the first voyage were not a bunch of cutthroats. They were mostly hometown boys' from Andalusia, and nearly all experienced seamen. Of the four voyages of Columbus, only the crew of the first voyage is completely known. Alice Bache Gould spent decades combing various archives in Spain, and eventually came up with the list of the 87 crewmen of the Nià ±a, Pinta, and Santa Maria. In 1465 Columbus started accompanying his father when he went to sea to sell his cloth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1465-1475 Columbus learned how to handle a ship and became aware of the risks of navigation. By 1475, Columbus grew up to be a well-spoken young man. Columbus went on an expedition to the island of Chios in 1475, a Genoese possession in the Aegean Sea. Columbus then stayed there for many months defending from Turkish attack, a business that extracted gum mastic from trees, which was used as a painkiller. French pirates attacked Columbus when he was on a ship carrying a shipment of gum mastic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1476 Columbus moved to Lisbon with his brother, Bartholomew who also was a sailor. Between 1476-1479 Columbus sailed out on various sailing expeditions. In 1479 Columbus ma...