Christopher Columbus

• And the AMAZING discovery of the new world!!!

Christopher Columbus (from Genoa)Major Influences

The Adventures of Marco PoloThe Bible

Carried them both everywhere he went

Very intolerant of other beliefs!!!

Hated Muslims and how they controlled the Holy Land (Jerusalem).

Goals in his Life•In Marco Polo’s book, Columbus learned of the fabulous wealth and the millions of people that resided in the east.•Wanted to sail west to get to Asia because he believed he found King Solomon’s tomb (Biblical hiding place for BILLIONS of dollars)•With Solomon’s cash-money, Columbus wanted to convert the Asian “heathens” to Christianity so he could march into Muslim-controlled Jerusalem, slaughter the Islamic peoples that lived there, and BRING IN THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST!!!

Better watch out!!!

The world isn’t FLAT•Columbus wanted to sail WEST to get to the EAST.•Despite popular belief, people of the time of Columbus did NOT believe the world was flat. •Sail west to get to the east? Terrible idea because…

•Ships couldn’t carry enough food for that long of a voyage•No one really knew what was out in the open sea!!

Problems with the plan…

• Not enough food• Not enough water• No one would go with him• No one would front the bill

for the voyage.• Also, he guessed that the

world was 3,000 miles smaller than it really was!

I ain’t got no money, homes!

Get out of here, Fool!Columbus went to the English Royalty… they laughed him out of the buildingHe then went to the Italians… the Portuguese… SAME THING HAPPENEDNo one would finance such a stupid idea… EXCEPT THE SPANISH!!!The Spanish were a new country whose rulers ALSO hated the Muslims.They funded his mission.

King Ferdinand and his lovely wife Queen Isabella of Spain

The Known World 1400AD

Who would sign up for such a dangerous mission?You are sailing off to certain DOOM!No right minded person would go.Columbus recruited his crew from the local mental institutions and prisons.Many of his crew were on death row for serious crimes.Do you think that these kinds of people will act respectfully if they were to meet any people?

I want out…

The Voyage Begins

•Things don’t go well•Much of the crew is sea-sick for entire trip (not much sailing experience… with all that prison time)•Completely ran out of food and water.•The crew tried to mutiny but land was discovered before they could kill Columbus.

OOOPS!•Crashed into land and destroyed his ship!•Claimed the land and people for the Spanish and forcefully converted the Natives.•The criminals went crazy on the islands (in the Caribbean)

•Stealing•Murdering

•Columbus was a terrible leader

•No one listened to him.A very accurate drawing of the arrival

Columbus and Vespucci’s descriptions of the Natives and the land“…cowardly people, they fled. Father would not stand by to protect his son.”

“They have no other arms than a sharpened stick, which they would not dare use for they are so cowardly.”

“…they might be made Christians and be inclined to the love and service of their Highnesses and the whole Christian nation.”

“To the west there are people called the Anuu, which I am told the people have horns and tails.”

“I can give as much gold as you want, and also slaves, as many as you order, who will go gladly to your side.”

“Each man his own master can have as many wives as he likes. Many men marry the first woman that he meets.”

“…be assured of this fact because the fathers have already been seen to eat children and wife…”

“The women go about naked and are very libidinous; yet they have tolerable bodies and are quite beautiful…”

“They have no metals of any kind other than gold…”

Columbus’ other voyages

•Built a fort from the wreckage and made his men stay behind.•Returned the following year to find not a SINGLE MAN remaining.•Exacted a holocaust on the Native people. Ordered executions.•Required the natives to bring back as much gold as “the size of their heads” or he would cut off their hands.•The Natives fled, so he swept through the Caribbean killing as many people as he could find.

The end of Columbus

•Born a poor man, died a poor man.•Recalled by the Spanish crown for being TOO VIOLENT.•Imprisoned and never had any idea what he did wrong.•Died from a heart attack in prison at age 54.

What Happened Next

• Basic diseases that Europeans had immunities to began to spread through the Native populations. Natives had no immunities to these.

• Spanish sent Cortez to bring back gold• Cortez killed everything and anyone he could

find in Central America

The End

•AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER