E m bounds biography of christopher columbus

AND
OTHER DOCUMENTS OF HIS TIME.

by EDWARD EVERETT HALE,

[This was originally done on the 400th Anniversary
of 1492, as was the great Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Interesting how our heroes have all been de-canonized in the
interest of Political Correctitude]

—Comments by Michael S. Hart

PREFACE.

This book contains a life of Columbus, written with the hope of interesting all classes of readers.

His life has often been written, and it has sometimes been well written. The great book of our countryman, Washington Irving, is a noble model of diligent work given to a very difficult subject. And I think every person who has dealt with the life of Columbus since Irving’s time, has expressed his gratitude and respect for the author.

According to the custom of biographers, in that time and since, he includes in those volumes the whole history of the West India islands, for the period after Columbus discovered them till his death. He also thinks it his duty to include much of the history of Spain and of the Spanish court. I do not myself believe that it is wise to attempt, in a book of biography, so considerable a study of the history of the time. Whether it be wise

This series of articles seeks to examine the character attributes of highly successful leaders, regardless of their adherence to a strong faith or moral standard. In presenting these thoughts, Leadership Ministries is not agreeing with or advocating these traits or practices, but rather presents these as ideas for discussion and development in your own leadership journey.  

Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) was an Italian explorer. He completed four voyages across the Atlantic ocean and began the widespread European colonization of the Americas. Celebrated in history books for “discovering America”, Columbus’ reputation has become more questionable in recent years as instances of brutality and slavery have become widely known.

Columbus was self-educated in subjects including geography, astronomy and history, and learned Latin, Portuguese and Castilian in addition to his native Italian. He set out to find a western sea passage to the East Indies, hoping to profit from lucrative trading. Instead, in 1492 his three ships made landfall in the Bahamas, and called the inhabitants indios (“Indians”), thinking he had landed in the far East. His expeditions began a period of exploration, conquest and colonization that lasted for nearly 400 years.[1]Should this historic figure still be celebrated as a hero? Consider a few elements of his life and leadership:

Business passion can drive the mission. Not much is known of Columbus’ early years. His father was a wool weaver from Genoa, Italy. He had three brothers and a sister. As you a young boy, Columbus was an apprentice for a wealthy Spanish businessman, and went to sea at age 14. It’s known that he visited locations including England, Ireland, the Greek Island Chinos, Portugal, and possibly Iceland. He worked as a trader for European nobility, moving goods by sea, which proved lucrative. Columbus quickly gained a passion for travel and trade.

Knowing of the famous Silk Road to India, Columbus followed th

Italian navigator and explorer (1451–1506)

"Cristoforo Colombo" and "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" redirect here. For his direct descendant, see Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, 18th Duke of Veragua. For other uses, see Christopher Columbus (disambiguation) and Cristoforo Colombo (disambiguation).

Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed four Spanish-based voyages across the Atlantic Ocean sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His expeditions were the first known European contact with the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The name Christopher Columbus is the anglicization of the Latin Christophorus Columbus. Growing up on the coast of Liguria, he went to sea at a young age and traveled widely, as far north as the British Isles and as far south as what is now Ghana. He married Portuguese noblewoman Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, who bore a son, Diego, and was based in Lisbon for several years. He later took a Castilian mistress, Beatriz Enríquez de Arana, who bore a son, Ferdinand.

Largely self-educated, Columbus was knowledgeable in geography, astronomy, and history. He developed a plan to seek a western sea passage to the East Indies, hoping to profit from the lucrative spice trade. After the Granada War, and Columbus's persistent lobbying in multiple kingdoms, the Catholic Monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II, agreed to sponsor a journey west. Columbus left Castile in August 1492 with three ships and made landfall in the Americas on 12 October, ending the period of human habitation in the Americas now referred to as the pre-Columbian era. His landing place was an island in the Bahamas, known by its native inhabitants as