exploration, exploitation, expansion, the momentous journeys of cristoforo colombo
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What was his name?Cristoforo Colombo – ItalianCristòfor Colom – CatalanCristóbal Colón – SpanishCristóvão Colombo – PortugueseChristohorus Columbus - LatinChristoffa Corombo – GenoeseCristopher Columbus - English
What do we know?Father: Domenico Colombo – wool weaver and
merchantMother: Susanna FontanarossaBrothers: Bartolomeo, cartographer; Giovanni
Pellegrino and GiacomoWife: Filipa Moniz PerestreloSon: DiegoMistress: Beatriz Enriquez de AranaSon: Fernando
The TimesEducated knowledge: Earth is a sphere: Aristotle (984-
322 BC)/Ptolemy (85-165 AD)/Saint Bede (673-735 AD)
Size of Earth correctly estimated: Erosthenes (c 276-195 BC) and Alfraganus (9th C)
Vikings, like Leif Ericson had explored these lands (c 1000)
Marco Polo’s accounts (1298)Motivation to reach China (Cathay), India and Japan
(Cipangu)Portugal (Bartolomeu Dias) push to South of AfricaSpain: End of the Reconquista: Jan 2, 1492
BackgroundEarly sea travelsSelf-educatedInterested in biblical textsLearned Latin, Portuguese and CastilianRead works about astronomy, geography, and
historyWas mistaken about the size of the Earth, the
size of Eurasia, and the distance between Japan and China.
Quest for Support1485 – John II, King of Portugal1486 – Isabella, Queen of Castile1488 – John II, King of PortugalGenoaVeniceBartholomew to Henry VII, King of England1492 – Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella
of Castile
The ExplorerThe Admiral of the Ocean SeaViceroy and Governor of the Indies10% of all acquired treasures
Momentous First VoyageAug 3, 1492 – Port of Palos, Spain to Canary IslandsSept 6 – San Sebastian de la Gomera5 weeks across the oceanOct 12, 1492 – San Salvador (Guanahani),
The BahamasOct 28 – Northeast CubaDec 5 – Hispaniola (Haiti) Jan 13, 1493 – Samana Peninsula (Dominican Rep)March 4 – Lisbon, PortugalMarch 15 – Palos, Spain
Exploration and Conflict: Second VoyageSept 24, 1493 - CadizOct 13 – Canary IslandsLesser Antilles, including Virgin IslandsGreater Antilles: Puerto Rico (San Juan
Bautista), Hispaniola, Southeast Cuba, and Jamaica
August 20, 1494 – Hispaniola and Spain
Exploration and Exploitation: Fall from Grace – Third VoyageMay 30, 1498 – Sanlúcar, Spain to Portugal
(Porto Santo and Madeira) to Canary Islands and Cape Verde
July 31 – TrinidadAug 4 to 12 – Gulf of aria, mainland of South
America including Venezuela, the Orinoco River, Margarita Island, Tobago and Granada
Aug 19, 1500 – HispaniolaOct 1, 1500 – Columbus and brothers sent to
Spain in chains
Fourth and Last Voyage: DisasterMay 11, 1502 – Cadiz to Moroccan coast Martinique island, Santo Domingo, Bay
Islands, Honduras, Puerto Castilla, Honduras mainland
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama April 16 left for HispaniolaMay 10 – Cayman islands (Las Tortugas) and
JamaicaFebruary 29, 1504 – Lunar EclipseNov 7 – Sanlúcar, Spain
ForgottenReturns to Spain in disgraceFights the courts for reinstatement of his
rights ‘Pleitos Colonbinos) – continued by his heirs
Writes two books: Book of Privileges (1502) and Book of Prophecies (1506)
Dies in Valladolid, May 20, 1506 (age 54) a broken man
Expansion: Why America?Amerigo Vespucci, Americo Vespucio, Americus
VespuciusBorn in Florence, Italy – March 9, 1954 to February 22,
1512Merchant, Explorer, CartographerDemonstrated that the New World was not Asia, but a
previously unknown continentTwo letters (Mundus Novus and Lettera) demonstrate
that these lands were not Asia but a fourth previously unknown continent
Martin Waldseemüller translated to Latin, and named the continent ‘America’ in 1507 on his world map.
Myths and IroniesPopular belief about the earth’ shape and size Queen Isabel selling her jewelsCC: first explorer to reach AmericasCC calling the inhabitants ‘Indios’‘Discovery’‘New’ world’Perception of the term ‘America’ Naming of the continent