Aim: How should we remember Christopher Columbus? Do Now: What do you know about Columbus? What would you like to know? His name in Italian is Christophero Colombo.

I Why did Columbus Set Sail? A) Born 1451 in Genoa (an Italian city-state). B) Educated, Columbus knew the world was round. He wanted to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to India, to avoid the Ottoman controlled Silk Road. Columbus’s mistake was believing the Earth’s circumference to be smaller than it is. He did not know that the Americas existed. C) He was rejected by England, Portugal, and the Italian city-states before getting funding for his trip from Spain’s Queen Isabella in 1492. Columbus demanded 10% of any new wealth, and be made viceroy (governor) of any new lands.

The marriage of Queen Isabella of Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon united these two Spanish kingdoms. In 1492 they conquered Granada (in southern Spain), and began the Inquisition; they drove all non-Catholics out of Spain. Columbus’s voyage was another way to increase the power of a newly unified Spain.

II Columbus’ First Voyage A) Aug 3, 1492, Columbus led an expedition of 3 ships: Nina, Pinta and the Santa Maria (captained by Columbus). B) Oct 11, 1492 he spotted islands in the Caribbean. He landed on an island in the Bahamas. Columbus named it San Salvador. He was met by the native Taino. C) Columbus explored Cuba & Hispaniola before sailing back to Europe. He had to leave 39 men behind on the island of Hispaniola when the Santa Maria ran into a reef and sank on Christmas Eve. Columbus arrived back in Spain in the Nina on March 15, 1493.

Taino Native Village Reconstruction

Taino Ceremonial Ball Court

The Taino and Caribs According to Columbus, the Taino natives were “naked”, “friendly” and “without arms”. However, according to a letter he wrote to Queen Isabella, the Taino told him about the cannibal Caribs on a nearby island. Columbus admitted he never saw these cannibal Caribs himself. However, Queen Isabella declared that the cannibal Caribs “…may be captured and taken to… my Kingdoms… and be sold [into slavery]”.

III Columbus’s Later Voyages A) Columbus returned to the New World 3 more times. It wasn’t until his 3rd voyage that he reached South America (modern Venezuela). He died, convinced he had reached East Asia. B) In 1502, after his 3rd voyage, Columbus was charged with torture of the natives, but was never convicted. However, he was stripped of his title of governor of New Spain.

Christopher Columbus Continued… Positives Negatives Columbus opened up trade and immigration across the Atlantic Ocean between the “Old” and “New” Worlds “Every ship that comes to America got its chart from Columbus.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson Columbus and his men brought European diseases. Columbus enslaved thousands of natives. “…They ought to make good and skilled servants, for they repeat very quickly whatever we say to them. I think they can very easily be made Christians, for they seem to have no religion...” – Christopher Columbus

HW Questions Why did Columbus go to the New World? What were Columbus's accomplishments? Why do some people view Columbus negatively? How do YOU think Columbus should be remembered and WHY?

Key Vocabulary Christopher Columbus Columbian Exchange Hispaniola Queen Isabella Viceroy San Salvador Taino