On August 3, 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus started his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. With a crew of 90 men and three ships—the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria—he left from Palos de la Frontera, Spain. Columbus reasoned that since the world is round, he could sail west to reach “the east” (the lucrative lands of India and China). That reasoning was actually sound, but the Earth is much larger than Columbus thought—large enough for him to run into two enormous continents (the “New World” of the Americas) mostly unknown to Europeans.
Columbus made it to what is now the Bahamas in 61 days. He initially thought his plan was successful and the ships had reached India. In fact, he called the indigenous people “Indians,” an inaccurate name that unfortunately stuck.
Source: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/columbus-sets-sail
An insight into the age of sea exploration and the meeting of cultures in the New World. The book serves as an introduction to the life of Christopher Columbus, including his struggles to finance his journeys, his sometimes infamous behaviour and his final lonely days.
On an expedition to discover a new trade route to the Far East for Spain, Christopher Columbus landed in a New World. Young readers will enjoy this sensitively written new book about Columbus' famous journey and the results of his interaction with the indigenous people. Full-color maps and illustrations and clear text help explain what life was like for explorers at sea in the 1400s. Also featured is an easy-to-follow recipe that the crew on an explorer's ship would have eaten.
An introduction to the early centuries of exploration, including information about explorers, what they discovered, and the significance of those discoveries. Features include fact boxes, maps, photographs, drawings, a timeline, a glossary, and a list of recommended books and websites
Part 1 of Lost Worlds: America before Columbus (49:59)