Christopher Columbus

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 1451-1506

NAVAL EXPLORATION: European nations wanted to find new routes to Asia to make trading easier. Asia was famous for its silk, precious stones and spices like pepper and nutmeg.

Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was an italian explorer, and navigator.He was born in Genoa, Italy, in the year 1451. "Christopher Columbus" is the English version of Columbus's name. His real name in Italian was Cristoforo Colombo; his name in Spanish was Cristóbal Colón. Columbus died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain.

Everyone believes that the earth was square and flat except Columbus, who believed it was round. Christopher Columbus wanted to go to Asia. Most navigators sailed east around the south coast of Africa to get to Asia, but he decided to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean. Catholic monarchs gave Columbus money for his expedition to Asia. In return, he promised to bring back gols, spices and silk and promote Christianity. On 3 August 1492, Columbus and 90 men left Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) and started the voyage with three calavers: La Pinta, La Niña y La Santa María

The expeditions

After more than two months, on 12 October 1492 they arrived at San Salvador, an island in the Americas. He thought that he reached India, for this reason he called the people living there Indians. After this they came back to Spain. Christopher Columbus led another three expeditions to America before his death, He died on 1506 in Valladolid without knowing he reached a new continent.

They discovered differents products and developed trading infrastructures.

Thanks to this expedition, Spain became one of the most powerful countries in Europe.

What goods did Spain import from the Americas?

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