America’s first discoverer

America's First Discoverer

Who is the discoverer of America?
Christopher Columbus discoverer of America :
Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator, explorer, and colonist, who discovered the “New World”, which is called now “America”. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean and reached the Caribbean Islands in 1492. His discovery of America was on his second voyage in 1498. In addition, the state of Columbia in the American continent was named with this name proportion to him.
The motives of Columbus voyage:
Columbus decided to initiate this voyage because he desired to achieve several aims including:
1) He pursued for fame and wealth.
2) The fanaticism of the Catholic doctrine led him to think of finding another way instead of the road that passes through the Arab countries, which he described in his maritime blog (The country of Muhammadiyah).
3) He was passionate of adventure, and possessed a significant desire to check the possibility of crossing the continent of Asia across the direction to the west because of the spherical earth. As well as he depended in his voyage on the maps of many scholars such as Italian world Paolo Tuscany and the German scholar Martin
Columbus searched for someone who supported his voyage.
Columbus sought refuge in the king of Portugal after both the Senate of Genoa and the king of England Henry VII refused his presentation. He sent a letter to king Joaoll's adviser asking him to help to go to his voyage, but the king of Portugal also refused his request. As a result, he managed to persuade the king of Spain to support him on his voyage. In 1492, the king of Spain signed an agreement stipulating that Columbus would be awarded the rank of Prince of the Seas and Oceans as a royal decree applicable in all countries. Furthermore, the king, also, declared to give him 10% of the gold and goods he would bring from the countries he would discover if he succeeded.

Columbus' First Voyage:
Columbus began his voyage from the port of Pelos using three naval vessels, which are:
1) Santa Maria vessel: It is a caravill type, with a crew of 84 sailors. This vessel was under his command. Besides, it was the flagship.
2) Binta vessel: It is also a caravill type, and its captain was Martin Alonso Benson.
3) Nigna vessel: It was known as Santa Clara. It is a caravill type. The captain of the vessel was Vicente Yannis Pinsin.

Columbus' Achievements on the First Voyage:
- He discovered what is known today as the Bahamas Islands, which called San Salvador. And he was able to reach to Cuba.
- Columbus believed that he had arrived to the so-called West India, and he was able to bring a lot of gold on this voyage. He owned many Islands which called the Indian Islands.
Columbus' Second Voyage:
He set sail from the Spanish ports to start a new voyage of 17 vessels  accompanied by 1,500 sailors. On this voyage, he discovered the Antilles Islands and the southern part of Cuba via the Caribbean Sea. Also, he reached to Jamaica and Many Islands in the eastern part of the America.



Translated by Dania AL-Bkerat
Edits: Reem Alazzam


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