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Christopher Columbus is born in Genoa, Italy. Columbus was the son of a family of weavers and lived near an important port on the Italian coast. He would soon be educated with common merchant and sailor knowledge which was cooman at the time.
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After years of sailing and mapmaking, Christopher Columbus has an idea that the Earth may be round and that you could sail to Asia from Europe. At the time, goods coming to and from Asia where extremely valuable in Europe, and fast trade routes to Asia was needed. When Christopher Columbus introduced his idea to be sponsered by King John II of Portugal, King Ferdinand II of Spain, and Queen Isabella I of Spain, he was rejected.
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Columbus's plan is finally accepted by King Ferdinand II and Quen Isabella I of Spain once they realized that the income from the trip would be huge and they could spread Christianity. Columbus was given three ships, the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta and was given the title of the admiral of the Ocean Sea. On his trip he discovered the Bahamas, San Salvador, Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.
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When Columbus returned from his first voyage, he was given a huge welcome from King Ferdinand and Isabella. Columbus presnted them with gold, fruits, vegetables, parrots, and some Native Americans. Columbus tells them that he discovered Asia's outer islands and is now claimed by Spain.
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The lsat voyage impressed King Ferndinand II and Queen Isabella I enough to sponsor a second voyage. This time, Columbus is given 17 ships, 1,200 soldiers, colonists, tools, livestock, and different seeds to take on his expedition. On his second voyage, Cloumbus founded a settlement named after Queen Isabella, and discovered Guadeloupe, the Virgin Islands, Jamcaica, and the Lesser Antilles.
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While on his second mission, Columbus had trouble finding gold. So, he then started the practice enslaving Native Americans. However, Native Americans would start to die off due to European sicknesses that they were not immune to. This would lead to the downfall of Native Americans.
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After returning from his second voyage, he would be sponsored again by Spain, yet he had to wait two years due to international problems within Europe. Before leaving, Columbus was being critcized by Queen Isabella for his mistreatment towards Native Americans who she wanted to convert to Christianity. On this voyage, Columbus was given six ships and discovered an island which he called Trinidad after the Holy Trinity, and traded for pearls with Native Americans.
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Columbus would be sponsored by Spain for his fourth and final voyage, On this voyage, Columbus was to find gold and find passage in the Far East. He would be given four ships and 150 men. On his final voyage, he landed in Central America, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. He would come into contact with Mayans who gave him gold.
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After returning from his fourth voyage, Cloumbus spent the rest of his years in Seville, Spain. Columbus became a very wealthy and popular man in Spain yet felt dissatified. Columbus would live in obscurity and would always be against the Spanish Court.
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When Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506, he died a crazy man thinking he was a failure. However, his voyages would spark a movement of voyages and expeditions around the world. Even though Coulumbus never truly discovered the Americas, he inspired others over time who would also become famous explorers.
