Bassam abou zeid biography of christopher columbus

He made his way to Lisbon, where he eventually settled and married Filipa Perestrelo.

Bassam abou zeid biography of christopher columbus: Abdallah bin al-Husayn: The Making of

The couple had one son, Diego, around His wife died when Diego was a young boy, and Columbus moved to Spain. He had a second son, Fernando, who was born out of wedlock in with Beatriz Enriquez de Arana. After participating in several other expeditions to Africa, Columbus learned about the Atlantic currents that flow east and west from the Canary Islands.

The Asian islands near China and India were fabled for their spices and gold, making them an attractive destination for Europeans—but Muslim domination of the trade routes through the Middle East made travel eastward difficult. Columbus devised a route to sail west across the Atlantic to reach Asia, believing it would be quicker and safer. He estimated the earth to be a sphere and the distance between the Canary Islands and Japan to be about 2, miles.

Despite their disagreement with Columbus on matters of distance, they concurred that a westward voyage from Europe would be an uninterrupted water route. Columbus proposed a three-ship voyage of discovery across the Atlantic first to the Portuguese king, then to Genoa, and finally to Venice. He was rejected each time.

Bassam abou zeid biography of christopher columbus: August 14, PLO official Bassam

Their focus was on a war with the Muslims, and their nautical experts were skeptical, so they initially rejected Columbus. The idea, however, must have intrigued the monarchs, because they kept Columbus on a retainer. Columbus continued to lobby the royal court, and soon, the Spanish army captured the last Muslim stronghold in Granada in January Shortly thereafter, the monarchs agreed to finance his expedition.

On October 12,after 36 days of sailing westward across the Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen set foot on an island in present-day Bahamas, claiming it for Spain. There, his crew encountered a timid but friendly group of natives who were open to trade with the sailors. They exchanged glass beads, cotton balls, parrots, and spears.

The Europeans also noticed bits of gold the natives wore for adornment.

Bassam abou zeid biography of christopher columbus: The subcommittee is meeting today

Columbus and his men continued their journey, visiting the islands of Cuba which he thought was mainland China and Hispaniola now Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which Columbus thought might be Japan and meeting with the leaders of the native population. During this time, the Santa Maria was wrecked on a reef off the coast of Hispaniola. Thirty-nine men stayed behind to occupy the settlement.

Convinced his exploration had reached Asia, he set sail for home with the two remaining ships. Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer known for his ambitious voyages, achieved remarkable successes in his quest for a new route to Asia. His expedition marked a pivotal moment in history, as he became the first European to make contact with the Americas.

His landfall in the Bahamas not only opened the door to further exploration but also signaled the start of European colonization in the New World. Columbus' voyages prompted significant exchanges of culture and goods, now referred to as the Columbian Exchange, fundamentally altering global trade and interaction.

Bassam abou zeid biography of christopher columbus: ABOU ZEID, BASSEM, Bethel College,

However, Columbus faced numerous challenges during and after his expeditions. Despite his initial acclaim, his governance of the settlements he established was marred by poor leadership and harsh treatment of Indigenous peoples, resulting in conflict and resistance. Subsequent voyages revealed the stark realities of colonial exploitation and the devastating impact of introduced diseases on native populations.

Compounded by mismanagement, complaints from settlers led to his arrest and loss of authority, showcasing the difficulties of sustaining exploration efforts in the face of political and social obstacles. Ultimately, Columbus' legacy is a complex tapestry—a journey of exploration intertwined with the consequences of colonization and the suffering of Indigenous cultures.

Christopher Columbus's voyages in the late 15th century opened the Americas to European exploration and colonization, fundamentally altering the course of both European and Indigenous civilizations. His expeditions marked the beginning of extensive transatlantic exchange, known as the Columbian Exchange. This exchange involved not only the transfer of goods but also the sharing of cultures, ideas, and, unfortunately, diseases.

The arrival of Europeans led to the introduction of horses, wheat, and coffee to the Americas while crops like potatoes and corn became integral to European diets, significantly impacting agricultural practices on both sides of the Atlantic. However, the legacy of Columbus is complex and controversial. While his discoveries contributed to the rapid expansion of European power, they also resulted in significant suffering and destruction for Indigenous populations.

The introduction of Old World diseases like smallpox devastated native communities, effectively decimating their populations. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted the same, along with the opportunity to export Catholicism to lands across the globe. Columbus, a devout Catholic, was equally enthusiastic about this possibility. There they established a colony named Vineland meaning fertile region […].

Leif Eriksson Day commemorates the Norse explorer believed to have led the first European expedition to North America. On October 12, the ships made landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but on one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador. In Januaryleaving several dozen men behind in a makeshift settlement on Hispaniola present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republiche left for Spain.

He kept a detailed diary during his first voyage. More troublingly, it also recorded his initial impressions of the local people and his argument for why they should be enslaved. They have no iron… They would make fine servants… With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want. Check out 10 things you may not know about the Genoese explorer who sailed the ocean blue in About six months later, in SeptemberColumbus returned to the Americas.

Then he headed west to continue his mostly fruitless search for gold and other goods. His group now included a large number of indigenous people the Europeans had enslaved. In lieu of the material riches he had promised the Spanish monarchs, he sent some enslaved people to Queen Isabella. In MayColumbus sailed west across the Atlantic for the third time.

Conditions were so bad that Spanish authorities had to send a new governor to take over. Meanwhile, the native Taino population, forced to search for gold and to work on plantations, was decimated within 60 years after Columbus landed, only a few hundred of what may have beenTaino were left on their island. Christopher Columbus was arrested and returned to Spain in chains.

A great navigator, Columbus was less successful as an administrator and was accused of mismanagement. He died on 20 May a wealthy but disappointed man. Search term:. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets CSS enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience.