Name ___________________________________________ Core _____________ Date ________________________
Where Is Christopher Columbus?
Dominican Republic. He disagrees, insisting that Columbus
is buried in the large, cross-shaped monument. "The
remains have never left Dominican territory," Mieses said.
Castro and his research team have been trying for
years to convince the Dominican Republic to open up the
lighthouse monument. They want to compare its remains
with those of Diego Columbus. Castro stressed that
although his team believes the bones in Seville are those of
Christopher Columbus, this does not mean the ones in
Santo Domingo are not. Since Columbus' body was moved
After the death of Christopher Columbus in 1506,
several times after his death, the tomb in Santo Domingo
the explorer's remains were relocated several times. For
might also hold part of the explorer's body. "We don't
more than a century, both Spain and the Dominican
know what is in there," Castro said.
Republic have claimed to house the remains, making the
Christopher Columbus has been praised by
location of Columbus' final resting place a source of debate
historians for opening the New World to European
and speculation. Now, scientists say they have confirmed
settlement and criticized for bringing slavery and disease to
that at least some of Christopher Columbus' remains were
the land. He first arrived in the New World at the island of
buried inside a Spanish cathedral. But will this discovery
Hispaniola. Today, the island consists of the Dominican
solve or further complicate the mystery?
Republic and Haiti. Columbus was first buried in Valladolid,
A team of Spanish scientists studied the DNA of
Spain, on May 20, 1506. He had wanted to be buried in the
bone slivers buried in a cathedral in Seville. They compared
Americas, but no church of sufficient height existed there.
these bones with DNA from remains known to be from
In 1537, the widow of one of Columbus' sons sent
Columbus' brother, Diego. Diego was also buried in the
Columbus' bones to Santo Domingo. However, in 1795,
southern Spanish city, but his remains were never moved.
when Spain surrendered Hispaniola to France, it was
Therefore, his DNA is a reliable source of information about
decided Columbus' remains should not fall into the hands
Columbus' family. According to Marcial Castro, a Seville-
of foreigners.
area historian and high school teacher who began the
A set of remains that the Spaniards believed were
project in 2002, said the DNA samples solve the mystery.
Columbus' was shipped to Havana, Cuba, and then back to
The explorer was buried in Spain.
Seville when the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898.
"There is an absolute match-up between the
In 1877, however, workers digging in the Santo Domingo
mitochondrial DNA we have studied from Columbus'
cathedral unearthed a box. It contained bones and bore
brother and Christopher Columbus," Castro said.
the inscription, "Illustrious and distinguished male,
Mitochondria are the cell components that are rich in
Christopher Columbus." The Dominicans say that these
genetic material.
were the genuine remains and that the Spaniards took the
Juan Bautista Mieses is the director of the
Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo, the capital of the
wrong body back in 1795.
Name __________________________________________ Core ________________ Date _________________________
Multiple Choice: Circle the letter of the choice the best completes the statement. (2 points each)
1. According to the article, why weren't Columbus' wishes
to be buried in the Americas honored?
A. The widow of one of his sons sent the bones to
Santo Domingo.
B. Spain refused to surrender his bones to foreigners.
C. Columbus was criticized for bringing slavery and
disease to the land.
D. No church of sufficient height existed there.
2. Which is the closest synonym for the word illustrious?
A. Provisional
B. Prosperous
C. Prominent
D. Profound
3. What is this article mainly about?
A. A DNA match of bones in Spain to the brother of
Columbus.
B. A DNA match of bones in Santo Domingo to the
D. A DNA match of bones in the Americas to
Columbus.
4. The news article says all of the following except ...
A. Columbus was praised by historians in Havana,
Cuba, in 1877.
B. Columbus was first buried in Valladolid, Spain, in
1506.
C. The Dominicans say that the Spaniards took the
wrong body back in 1795.
D. The widow of one of Columbus' sons sent
Columbus' bones to Santo Domingo in 1537.
5. Which would be the closest synonym for the word
component?
A. Emotion
B. Orator
C. Overlay
D. Element
brother of Columbus.
C. A DNA match of bones in the Dominican Republic
to Columbus.
Directions:
Now that you have read the article, indicate whether you agree or disagree with this statement. Is it important
to solve the mystery of what became of Christopher Columbus' remains? (5 points)
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