Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was born in 1451, to a family of wool weavers. When he was a young man he went to sea and became an experienced sailor

Columbus Setting Sail in 1492 Christopher Columbus departed on his first journey in search of a quicker route to Asia. Here, Columbus takes leave of Ferdinand V and Isabella, the king and queen of Castile, who sponsored his first expedition.

He sailed from Spain in 1492 with three ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.

Eating on the Ship The menu for Spanish seamen consisted of water, vinegar, olive oil, molasses, cheese, honey, raisins, rice, garlic, almonds, sea biscuits , dry legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, beans, salted and barreled sardines, anchovies, dry salt cod and pickled or salted meats (beef and pork), salted flour. Food, mostly boiled, was served in a large wooden bowl. They would pick it up with their fingers as they had no forks or spoons. The larger pieces of meat were cut with a knife. Fish was cheaper than meat and was served more often.

Sighting Land After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean for 10 weeks land was sighted by a sailor named Rodrigo Bernajo.

On this voyage Columbus encountered the islands which became known as the West Indies, in the Caribbean Sea. Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Columbus’s Arrival in the Americas On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew made their first landfall in the Americas, on a small island in The Bahamas. In a solemn ceremony before an audience of uncomprehending islanders, Columbus claimed the island for Spain and named it San Salvador (Holy Savior).

References http://search.gallery.yahoo.com/ http://www.tampachanneldistrict.org/Columbus%20Fleet/ spain_built_replicas_Trib.htm http://www.nmm.ac.uk/education/fact_files/fact-columbus.html http://www.esd.k12.ca.us/Matsumoto/TM30/history/Explorers/colommap.html Microsoft ® Encarta ® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 http://www.geocities.com/columbus_website/ http://www.castellobanfi.com/features/story_3.html