Christopher Columbus

By Phoenix

Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa Italy during 1451. His farther was a wool weaver. Columbus went to sea in the age of 13. He learned to navigate (find the way), by looking at the Sun and stars.

In 1476 he moved to Portugal.

Columbus always wanted to sail west to China，and to India, though, he needed money. Columbus tried to talk rich people in to helping him, but no one did. At last, King and Queen of Spain agreed to give him money for ships. In return he promised them new lands, gold and new people to rule.

Columbus sailed in 3 August 1492. He had three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. The trip was longer than Columbus expected. On 12 October 1492 he and his explorers went ashore. He explored a world new to Europeans. People later called it the New World.

Native American people lived on the islands. Columbus called them 'Indians', because he thought he'd landed in India. Columbus claimed their islands for Spain!

What good did the New World brought: the New World bring to Europe a lot of new things like new food: corn、sweet potato、cocoa and potato, and Europe can sell their food to New World like: barley、rye、oats.

On his third trip, Columbus saw South America for the first time. Explorers brought home gold, new foods and new knowledge.

Columbus sailed to America for the fourth time in 1502. He was hoping to land in China. when He wanted to sail home his ships were too leaky, so he had to stay in America and wait for a year for people to come and rescued him. Columbus got back to Spain, he was sick. He died in 1506.