Christopher Columbus
1451 - 1506
Who Was Christopher Columbus?
Christopher Columbus is famous for being
an explorer in the 15th century. He was
born in 1451 in Genoa in Italy.
The Young Christopher
As a young man Christopher enjoyed the
sea. He went to sea when he was still a
boy and found the life of a sailor to be
very exciting.
Travel & Exploration
At the time when Columbus lived people
travelled by horse when journeying across
land and by ship for journeys at sea. The
journey from Portugal to Asia to trade for
silks and spices was a long and often
dangerous one.
Quick Quiz
1. Where was Columbus born?
2. What colours are in the Italian flag.
3. What adjective is used to describe how
Columbus viewed life at sea?
4. Name 2 methods of travel used in the
15th century.
5. Why was trade with the East so
important?
A New Direction
Columbus wanted to find a quicker route to
reach the countries in the East that
provided the goods desired in Europe. It
was for this reason that he decided to sail
west hoping to reach Asia from a new
direction.
Financing the Journey
Columbus found it difficult to get the money
for his journey but eventually King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
financed his expedition.
The Ships
Columbus set sail with three ships, the Nina,
the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
A Long Journey
After a long journey across the Atlantic
Ocean, Columbus and his crew came to
the islands of the east coast of America
which we now call the West Indies.
Hispaniola
Columbus landed on the island of
Hispaniola, which we now call Haiti and
the Dominican Republic. From here he
went on to explore other islands in the
region. Having discovered the mouth of
the Orinoco River, Columbus thought he’d
found the Garden of Eden, a common
belief at the time was that all great rivers
flowed from the Garden.
Quick Quiz 2
1. Where did Columbus get the money for his
2.
3.
4.
5.
expeditions.
Name three of his ships.
Which ocean did Columbus sail across to find
the New World?
What name did he give to the island we now
know as Haiti and the Dominican Republic?
What biblical destination did Columbus think
he had discovered?
Advantages to Columbus’ Discovery
Thanks to the voyages made by Columbus
important crops were introduced to Europe.
Crops such as corn, potatoes, tomatoes, lima
beans, squash, peanuts, cacao, and pineapple.
While the new lands were introduced to European
crops, such as wheat, rice, coffee, bananas, and
olives. Animals were also brought to the
Americas: horses, cows, pigs, and chickens were
all introduced.
Disadvantages to Columbus’
Explorations
• The native people of the new lands to which Columbus
and his crew travelled had not previously been exposed
to European diseases and many died as a result.
Diseases such as diphtheria, measles, smallpox, and
malaria devastated the indigenous American population.
• The Europeans did not think highly of the natives and
didn’t value the culture of the area. They often viewed
the local population as slave labour.
Complete the table in your book:
Advantages of
Columbus’ Voyages
Disadvantages of
Columbus’ Voyages
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