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When Columbus was a teenager, he got a job on a merchant ship. French privateers attacked the ship as it sailed north along the Portuguese coast. The boat sank and Columbus floated to shore on a piece of wood.
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The Spanish monarchs Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile agreed to fund Columbus's voyage. Ferdinand, Isabella and Columbus all wanted fame and fortune. It was agreed that Columbus would keep 10% of the riches he found and the governorship of any lands he finds.
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The ships used were the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. The ships set sail southward to the Canary Islands instead of sailing directly west to the islands of the Azores. The islands of the Azores had caused problems for other sailors attempting to sail west.
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Columbus and his crew set foot on an island in the present day Bahamas and claimed it for Spain. They encountered Native Americans, who Columbus called Indians, who were open to trade with them. Columbus believed he had landed in China, but he actually discovered a "new world".
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When Columbus returns to the settlement he left behind on the first voyage (Hispaniola), he finds it to be destroyed. He left behind his two brothers and part of his ships' crew to rebuild. He also left behind hundreds of enslaved Natives to help rebuild.
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The first island Columbus saw was named Dominica and still is today. Columbus and his crew discovered and explored islands including Guadalupe, Montserrat, Redondo, Antigua and several others in the Leeward Islands and Lesser Antilles chains. Columbus also visited Puerto Rico before returning to Hispaniola.
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Columbus left Spain with 17 ships and over 1000 men. This voyage brought European domesticated animals to America for the first time. On this voyage, Columbus was meant to expand the settlement on Hispaniola, convert the natives to Christianity, establish a trading post, and continue his explorations in search of China or Japan.
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On the third voyage, Columbus reached the mainland for the first time. When Columbus got there, he was met by settlers who claimed they were misled by Columbus's claims of riches. The Spanish Crown sent a royal official to arrest Columbus and strip him of his authority. He returned to Spain to face the royal court.
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Columbus left Spain with four ships to explore uncharted areas to the west of the Caribbean. Columbus explored parts of southern Central America. While exploring, his ships were damaged by a hurricane and termites and fell apart. Columbus and his crew were stranded on Jamaica for about a year.
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The ships began to fail from going through a hurricane, storms and termites. Columbus and his crew stopped on Jamaica and could go no farther. They built shelters out of the ships and made peace with the Natives. Columbus was able to send word to Ovando, the governor of Hispaniola, but Ovando could not help them. After being stranded on Jamaica for a year, they were rescued in June 1504.
