Christopher Columbus

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Christopher Columbus

• Victorious Explorer Navigator

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Depictions of Columbus
http//violettespage.com/2006/10/christopher-colum
bus.shtml
http//blogs.jobdig.com/wwds/2007/05/14/christophe
r-columbus-advice-to-the-jobseeker-move-on-move-on
/
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Columbuss Family History

• Cristoforo Colombo born to Susanna Fontanarossa
  and Domenico Colombo in 1451
• Domenico Colombo- son of Giovanni Colombo
• Family craft- weaving
• Respectable family of lower-middle class

http//www.scrapbookinghow.com/2006/03/marriage-of
-family-history-and.htm
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Family History Continued

• Columbus was one of at least five children
• He and his brother Bartholomew took to careers at
  sea instead of weaving
• His family history is partly a mystery. Columbus
  remained silent on the matter so little details
  are known.
• Because he kept silent, some historians believe
  he was of Jewish descent.

http//i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc173/celticlas
s188/question_mark.jpg
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Timeline of Columbuss Life

• 1451 Born in Genoa (now a part of Italy)
• 1476 Survives a shipwreck after a battle with
  pirates and swims to shore
• 1485 Moves to Spain
• 1492 After many tries, he finally convinces
  Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand to fund his
  explorations (to find a westerly route to the
  Indies)
• 1492 Departs from Spain in search of a new route
  to the Indies with three ships Santa Maria, Nina
  and Pinta
• Oct. 12, 1492 They see the new world! (most
  likely the Bahamas)

http//www.heritage.nf.ca/exploration/images/frenc
h_ship_500.jpg
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Timeline Continued

• Oct. 29, 1492 Arrives in Cuba
• Dec. 5, 1492 Arrives in Hispaniola
• Dec. 25, 1492 Santa Maria Sinks
• 1493 Returns to Lisbon, Portugal
• Sept. 1493 Begins Second Voyage
• 1496 Returns to Portugal
• 1498 Begins third voyage
• 1504 Columbus returns to Spain
• May 20, 1506 Columbus dies

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Columbuss Importance in History

• Although he didnt discover America, Columbuss
  findings were the only well-published account of
  the Americas (Even if he did think he was in the
  Indies).
• Previous discoveries were so obscure, no one knew
  about the Americas. Thanks to Columbus, everyone
  knew.

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And thanks to Columbus, large scale trade started
up between the two worlds.
http//www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackh
istory/images/africa/trade_routes.gif
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• America had often been discovered before
  Columbus, but it had always been hushed up.
• Oscar WildeIrish dramatist, novelist, poet
  (1854 - 1900)

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Importance Continued

• So, even though Columbus wasnt the first to find
  the New World, he did change the Old World

http//www.irtc.org/ftp/pub/stills/2000-08-31/colu
mbus.jpg
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The New World
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Columbus was a leader

• Columbus successfully lead three ships on a
  voyage that most people thought impossible
• After this success, he was given much wealth and
  power as Admiral of the Ocean Sea

http//www.nativevillage.org/Libraries/Columbus_sh
ips_sailtexascom.jpg
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• He used this power to command three more voyages
  to the Americas

Map of Columbuss Four Voyages
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Education

• It is unknown the amount of formal education
  Columbus received as a child
• He was part of Italian craft guilds so it can
  safely be assumed that he received a relatively
  good education
• He did learn to speak several languages besides
  his native tongue of Ligurian and was familiar
  with classic literature

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Obstacles Overcame to get Power

• It took Columbus a long time to find monarchs to
  fund his plans.
• Finally, the king and queen of Spain agreed.
• In order to really get power, Columbus had to
  make it back to Spain with good news.

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Problems faced as a Leader

• Firstly, it was very hard to lead a crew that was
  afraid of where they were going. They thought
  they were going to fall off the edge of the world
  or that a huge sea-monster would get them.

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http//bp1.blogger.com/_DZH2cmCoois/RpOtbCr4cqI/AA
AAAAAACew/6Cu_HavRT3k/s1600-h/ship_sailing_off_edg
e_of_world.jpg
http//kensforce.com/seamonster090107.jpg
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Another problem

• Columbus also had to deal with the crew getting
  restless. There was a near-mutiny a few days
  before land was spotted.

http//www.sheppardsoftware.com/images/Oceania/fac
tfile/Mutiny_HMS_Bounty.jpg
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Qualities of Columbus

• Columbus is often charged with being a very mean
  and active in the slave trade.
• Columbus did take many slaves back to Spain to
  sell, but the monarchs sent them back. He saw
  them as a good profit
• However, this is better than the take no
  prisoners approach

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Qualities

• I personally think that Columbus was quite
  greedy. The supposed reason for the expedition
  was to spread Christianity.
• However, it was really a chance for Columbus to
  become rich and earn a name for himself.

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Qualities

• Columbus also must have had much confidence. He
  went around proposing an idea that most thought
  unfathomable.

http//www.simplenomics.com/wp-images/confidence.j
pg
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Qualities

• He also had courage to go somewhere and do
  something that no one else (that they knew of)
  had ever done.

http//www.exw6sxq.com/sparky/images/courage.html
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Qualities

• Finally, Columbus must had great leadership
  quality. He led a crew that was scared they might
  reach the edge of the Earth.

http//www.poster.net/anonymous/anonymous-leadersh
ip-5000373.jpg
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Timeline of Key Events 1451-1506

• 1453 Ottoman Empire takes over Constantinople,
  ends Byzantine Empire
• 1465 Major Flooding in Ming Empire leads to
  construction of thousands of bridges
• 1488 End of Civil War in England
• 1492 Moors driven from Spain
• 1503-06 Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa
• 1509 Istanbul Earthquake kills around 10,000
  people

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Helpful Poem

• In fourteen hundred and ninety-two,Columbus
  sailed the ocean blue.He took three ships with
  him, too,And called aboard his faithful
  crew.Mighty, strong and brave was heAs he
  sailed across the open sea.Some people still
  thought the world was flat!Can you even imagine
  that?

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Sources

• http//www.trivia-library.com/b/famous-family-hist
  ory-christopher-columbus-parents.htm
• http//www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.137
• http//latinamericanhistory.suite101.com/article.c
  fm/christopher_columbus_early_years
• SONG- Victory Song by Ensiferum