October 12 th : Columbus “Discovers” America

Columbus led his three ships - the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria - out of the Spanish port of Palos on August 3, 1492. His goal was to sail west until he reached the Indies (Asia) where the riches of gold, pearls and spice awaited. Once underway, Columbus benefited from calm seas and steady westerlies that carried the three ships across the Atlantic. On the 70th day (many days after Columbus had already expected to reach Japan), a lookout sighted land. It was early on the morning of October 12, 1492. They landed on one of the islands of the Bahamas, which Columbus named San Salvador. The island natives came down to the shore to see Columbus' strange ships. Thinking he had reached the East Indies, Columbus called these people Indians. Columbus had discovered what Europeans would soon call the New World of the Americas. Of course, it was not a New World to the millions of Native Americans already living there. They had been there thousands of years before the Europeans would "discover" them. Columbus sailed onward to search for the rich cities of Asia. He spent the next ten weeks exploring the islands of the Caribbean. He landed on the island of Hispaniola, shared today by the two countries, Dominican Republic and Haiti. He also landed on Cuba, which he thought was the Asian mainland. Both islands were heavily populated with native people. Columbus never found the gold and jewels he had expected. Apart from his hunt for wealth, his mission was to convert the natives to Christianity. The idea that the Indians might have a right to determine their own way of life and to govern themselves never occurred to him. He thought of them as servants of Spain and also thought he had a right to claim the lands they inhabited for Spain. The voyages of Columbus proved to be an unparalleled historic event. It had far- reaching effects, not only on the American continents, but on Europe as well. In addition, historians have recognized Columbus' expert navigational skills. He found the best route across the ocean to the Americas. He also found the best eastern route back to Europe. His routes are still used today, hundreds of years later.

Source: adapted from Milton Meltzer, Author, Columbus and the World Around Him http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/all-about-christopher-columbus-1451-1506

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Christopher Columbus Use complete sentences to answer the questions below:

What place did Columbus land on October 12, 1492? ______

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What are two other places Columbus landed during his first voyage? ______

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According to this article, what are some of the ways Columbus has ‘power’?

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