Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451.¹⁾

His full name was Cristoforo Colombo in Italian and Cristóbal Colón in Spanish.²⁾

Columbus was the son of a wool merchant, and his family was not particularly wealthy.³⁾

As a young man, Columbus worked as a mapmaker and sailor.⁴⁾

Columbus believed the Earth was smaller than most of his contemporaries did, and he thought he could reach Asia by sailing westward.⁵⁾

He sought support for his voyage from various European monarchs, including King John II of Portugal and Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain.⁶⁾

After years of lobbying, Columbus finally received funding from Queen Isabella of Castile, which led to his first voyage.⁷⁾

On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain with three ships: the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Niña.⁸⁾

He reached the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, believing he had arrived in the East Indies.⁹⁾

Columbus's voyages to the Americas marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Western Hemisphere.¹⁰⁾

He made a total of four voyages to the Americas between 1492 and 1504.¹¹⁾

Columbus's voyages were significant because they opened up a new world to European exploration and colonization, leading to the Columbian Exchange of plants, animals, and culture between the Old World and the New World.¹²⁾

Columbus is often credited with discovering America, but he actually arrived in the Caribbean islands, specifically the Bahamas, on his first voyage.¹³⁾

His voyages had a profound impact on the indigenous peoples of the Americas, leading to significant changes in their cultures, populations, and societies.¹⁴⁾

Columbus is often criticized for his treatment of the indigenous people he encountered, including forced labor and enslavement.¹⁵⁾

He brought back various items from the New World to Europe, including tobacco, potatoes, and tomatoes, which had a lasting impact on European cuisine.¹⁶⁾

Columbus's voyages introduced horses to the Americas, which had not existed there for thousands of years.¹⁷⁾

He died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain, at the age of 54.¹⁸⁾

Columbus's burial place has been disputed, with some claiming he was buried in Spain while others believe he was buried in the Dominican Republic.¹⁹⁾

The United States celebrates Columbus Day on the second Monday in October to honor his first voyage to the Americas.²⁰⁾

Many countries in Latin America celebrate Día de la Raza or Columbus Day to commemorate the cultural exchange between Europe and the Americas.²¹⁾

Columbus is a controversial figure today, with some viewing him as a heroic explorer and others as a symbol of the negative impacts of European colonization on indigenous peoples.²²⁾

Columbus's four voyages took him to various places in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.²³⁾

He named many of the places he encountered, often giving them Spanish names that are still in use today.²⁴⁾

On his second voyage in 1493, Columbus established the first European settlement in the Americas, called Isabella, on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic).²⁵⁾

Columbus's third voyage in 1498 brought him to the coast of South America, where he explored regions in present-day Venezuela and Trinidad.²⁶⁾

During his fourth and final voyage in 1502, Columbus encountered severe storms and shipwrecks, leading him to seek refuge on the island of Jamaica for over a year.²⁷⁾

Columbus kept detailed journals of his voyages, providing valuable historical records of his time.²⁸⁾

He had a younger brother named Bartholomew Columbus, who also played a role in exploration and mapmaking.²⁹⁾

Columbus was known for his navigational skills, particularly using the astrolabe and quadrant to determine latitude.³⁰⁾

The name “Columbus” comes from the Latinized version of his Italian name, “Christoforus Columbus.”³¹⁾

Columbus's expeditions inspired other European explorers, including John Cabot, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan.³²⁾

In addition to his voyages, Columbus was also interested in finding a westward route to Asia for the spice trade.³³⁾

Columbus's arrival in the Americas had profound ecological consequences, as the exchange of plants, animals, and diseases between the Old World and the New World transformed ecosystems on both continents.³⁴⁾

His voyages were instrumental in the spread of Christianity to the Americas, as he brought priests and missionaries with him.³⁵⁾

Columbus's first voyage was relatively small, with a crew of about 90 men.³⁶⁾

The first American colony, Santo Domingo (now the capital of the Dominican Republic), was established during Columbus's time.³⁷⁾

Some historians argue that Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas and that Norse explorers may have reached North America several centuries earlier.³⁸⁾

Columbus's discovery of tobacco in the Americas eventually led to the widespread use of tobacco in Europe and the rest of the world.³⁹⁾

The Columbus Memorial Lighthouse in Santo Domingo is said to contain the explorer's remains, although this is still debated.⁴⁰⁾

Columbus is the subject of many myths and legends, including the story that he proved the Earth was round, which was already widely accepted by his time.⁴¹⁾

He never realized that he had stumbled upon a new continent and continued to believe he had reached the outskirts of Asia.⁴²⁾

The explorer faced numerous challenges during his voyages, including mutinies, storms, and hostile encounters with indigenous peoples.⁴³⁾

Columbus was arrested and brought back to Spain in chains after his third voyage due to accusations of mismanagement and mistreatment of colonists.⁴⁴⁾

Despite the controversy surrounding his legacy, Christopher Columbus remains a significant historical figure who forever changed the course of world history through his exploration of the Americas.⁴⁵⁾