Posted on 10/14/2002 6:42:50 AM PDT by BigWaveBetty
Christopher Columbus was a Spanish - Italian navigator who sailed westward across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a shorter route to Asia. He did reach land, not in Asia, but what we know now to be North America and the Carribean. Christopher Columbus became famous for his discovery, and is still a celebrated hero to this day.
Even though Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, his sea travels brought him to Lisbon, Portugal, where he settled with his married brother around 1479.
Based on the information of his travels, he believed that the earth was 25% smaller than thought, and composed mostly of land. Therefore, the fastest way to reach Asia would be by sailing westward across the Atlantic, skipping the longer route eastward. He submitted his theories in 1484 to John II, King of Portugal, petitioning him to finance an expedition across the Atlantic. The King passed on the petition to the Royal Maritime Commission, who rejected Columbus, due to other ships already rounding the tip of Africa at the time.
Columbus then moved to Spain, winning the support of many influential people for his plan, and petitioned to Queen Isabella of Castile, Spain. Even though a Royal Commission there also rejected his plan, he tried again in 1492, and was given their consent. Ferdinand and Isabella, King and Queen, agreed to sponsor the expedition, under the terms that Columbus would become viceroy of all the lands located, and that he could keep a tenth of all valuables found.
Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, on August 3, 1492, with about 90 men, and three ships. The three ships were the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria; Columbus would command the Santa Maria, the largest of the three ships. Once underway, they stopped briefly on the Canary islands to repair the Pinta’s mast. They set sail August 6 due West, but changed course on October 12 to a southwestern direction. The Crew was for many months unhappy with their captain, who seemed almost uncertain of where he was going. But things changed once signs of land appeared - land was sighted on October12, landing the ships on Guanahani, an island in the Bahamas. To an audience of islanders who did not understand Columbus, he claimed the land in the came of Spain, naming it San Salvador. Other landings were made on the islands of Cuba, (which he named Juana), Española (which is now the Dominican Republic and Haiti) all mistakenly believed to be in Asian waters. After wrecking the Santa Maria off the coast of Española, the crew used salvaged materials to build a makeshift fort there called La Navidad. They then sailed home, arriving in Spain March of 1493.
Columbus set out on a second expedition in September of 1493, where he landed on the island of Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Antigua. The closest he came to the U.S. was Puerto Rico, the foundation for him to have supposedly discovered "America." He surveyed the coast of Cuba, and looked over the island of Jamaica.
Columbus returned to Spain on September 29. He returned to the Americas after hearing of dissensions that had developed among colonists there, traveled there, but soon returned to Spain.
It wasn’t until two years after his return that he set sail for his third voyage on May 30, 1498. Landing on Trinidad on July 31, he also made some sightings from there, including Venezuela. He wrote in his logbook he had found a "New World", yet unknown to Europeans. He encountered more islands, including Margarita, then set course for Española. The crew arrived at Santo Domingo, to find a colony in chaos and revolt. Trying to settle things, his enemies in Spain convinced monarchs to give the colony a new governor, Francisco de Bobadillo. Francisco arrived in Española in 1500, and upon his arrival, sent Columbus home in shackles. When Columbus arrived, he appealed of course to the shackles, and was pardoned, but was not allowed to return to Española as governor.
Columbus gained support once again for another voyage, his fourth, but was prohibited from stopping in Española, and was given ships that were already in poor condition. He sailed the waters off the coast of Honduras, then cruised along the coast of Central America for six months still in search of a passage westward. He landed in Panama, establishing a temporary settlement there, then sailed back to Española. The poor ships he was given did not make it past Jamaica, nevertheless to Española, so he sent for help. In the meanwhile, he landed on Jamaica, and forced the natives there to give food to his crew members. Help would not come for a year, done so on purpose by his adversary, the new governor of Española who had taken the place of Columbus. They did receive help though sooner or later, and embarked on June 28, 1504 for Santo Domingo, then directly for Spain. Columbus and the crew arrived in Spain on November 7. Never again would Columbus sail the Ocean Blue.
Columbus’ final months of life were with illness, dying on May 20, 1506, at Valladolid, Spain. He died with a legacy, and will always be celebrated for his discovery of "America."
Sites for further Information
"Topical Philately: Christopher Columbus"
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/4131/cc.htm
"Medieval Sourcebook: Christopher Columbus: Extracts from Journal"
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/columbus1.html
"The Discovery of America"
http://www.DocuWeb.ca/SiSpain/english/history/discover.html
"1942: An Ongoing Voyage"
http://sunsite.unc.edu/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
Please spill, who was it?
So glad you're enjoying the flowers, you deserve it.
Shame on you little Tommy! I hope for the day we get to watch little Tommy lead away in handcuffs by the FBI. Well I can dream, can't I?
GWB's hair did look better today. His hair must grow fast!
Great job on the pics HLL! Thank you for posting them for us!!
Hope your luncheon goes well tomorrow! ;-) (I mean today)
HIGH-RANKING French pols whisper over their Moet et Chandon that they support Bush and his c'est la guerre with Iraq. They support zapping that damn Saddam. But they will never say anything openly other than a polite, soft-spoken "merci" after it's all done. Reason? Eight million Arabs float around France and the government wants no trouble. So, simply put, they don't want their asses on the line but they're pleased if ours are there. Link
Now let's see if that takes the shape of a vote on President Bush's resolution for the UN.
BERNHARD'S NOT REEL EXCITED WITH NEW MATERIALSandra Bernhard - the gal pal turned bitter enemy of Madonna - caught the Material Mom's latest flick yesterday and condemned it to death by faint praise.
The pouty-lipped comedienne was spotted sneaking out of the Loews Cineplex Village 7 after catching a matinee show of "Swept Away."
When approached by a reporter, Bernhard - looking a bit embarrassed - wouldn't admit at first which movie she had seen.
But when pressed, she finally 'fessed up that she had sat through the shipwreck romance, in which Madonna is tamed by a roguish he-man after being marooned on an island.
And when asked her opinion of the R-rated stinker, which has been universally panned by critics, Bernhard said simply, "It was fine."
But maybe thinking that her pronouncement was too much of an endorsement, she added: "It was OK."
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With that big mouth and the nasty things that usually come out of it, that's all Sandra can muster for a bitter enemy?
Shoot, with what Sandra's had to say about GWB, she must consider him the devil himself.
Not even a full fledged MEOW, just a mew for her bitter enemy. Maybe Sandy and Madonny will kiss and make up! Oh joy!
PLANNED BILL WOULD SPUR U.S. SALE OF DIESEL CARS
The New York Times
By Danny Hakim
(August 28, 2002) DETROIT, Aug. 27 — Representative John D. Dingell plans to introduce a bill that would encourage the sale of diesel cars in the United States, a prospect strongly supported by the auto industry but opposed by environmental groups.
Industry executives have said in recent years that modern diesel engines are far less dirty and noisy than those of the 1970's and offer a relatively easy way to improve fuel economy and reduce global-warming emissions.
That argument has carried weight in Europe, where about one-third of light-duty vehicles sold each year are powered by diesel engines. But regulations in the United States have restricted diesel engines — they are in fewer than 1 percent of new light-duty vehicles — and Volkswagen is the only company selling diesel passenger cars here.
Robert A. Lutz, the vice chairman of General Motors, said at an auto industry conference last month, "We should get diesels in the mix because it's one way we could get 10 to 15 percent fuel economy improvement while keeping the size mix that we have." [snip]Rest of the story.
Einhorn says he was surprised when girlfriend's body was found in his closet (AP)
Ira Einhorn, the former hippie guru on trial for allegedly killing his girlfriend in 1977, testified that other people had access to the couple's apartment and that he was surprised when police found her body in his closet.
- Oct 14 9:03 PM ET
Cross-examination was due to begin on Tuesday.
Geraldo sinks even lower than usual.
HMedia circus: Geraldo Rivera autographs Hooters waitresses' backsides mere yards from sniper site.
Hey, we had another sniper shooting last night. It happened in Alexandria at a Home depot. The victim was a 47 year old female. Prayers for the family. Gotta go and get some stamps from the post office. Be back in a little bit.
Betty, Geraldo Riviera and Hooters?? Why do you think we call him "Whorealdo?" LOL,LOL, what a piece of work.
I'm off to a Republican rally for our local and state candidates, I'll check back later for all the latest. Have a great day!
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