What Is the Historical Significance of the Life and Activities of Christopher Columbus?

"Genoese, and Therefore a Merchant"

What is the historical significance of the life and activities of Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus was one of the most successful explorers of the 16th century. Born in Genoa, Italy from a middle class family in 1451, Columbus had the opportunity to get a decent education. Since early childhood Columbus showed a desire to discover and an enormous curiosity about geographic trends. Later on through his life this inquisitive teenager would be making one of the most important discoveries in world history. His discoveries where crucial for the understanding of our planet, without them I believe the world would've developed differently. Columbus role in history goes far beyond his discovery of the Americas, he represents a turning point for European colonization and transformation of the European view of the world.

Although Columbus was able to have a good education, his real knowledge developed as a sailor aboard of Genoese ships. As a teenager he began his seamanship education and decided that he wanted to sail for the rest of his life. Growing up in Genoa was also a major factor that builds up this great sailor. Genoa was a city structured by the sea and thus all economic activities came mainly from overseas trade. Genoa was also a major commercial crossroad and port in the Western Mediterranean. As Columbus lived in the middle of a major trading network he started to work as an agent for Genoese merchants in Lisbon. For many years he lived as a merchant, he was a great business man and with high goals with allowed him to become an important figure in the trade business. His life as a merchant played a key role to later on develop his interest for geography and to conduct his own voyages.

In the 1470's, Portugal was going through a very important phase. The entire continent of Europe had a marginal position in the world, all trade was situated in the Indian ocean and Europe didn't had the infrastructure or knowledge to be involved in that trade. They were also recovering from the 100 year war and the black plague. Portugal was one of the first countries to decide to explore land and find trade routes. With Prince Henry being in charge, Portugal became responsible for the development of European exploration and marine time trade with other continents. There first major accomplishment where the Canary Islands and Ceuta. Portugal was eager to find a way into the Indian Ocean trade and they aimed to achieve this by controlling West Africa. West Africa was their only alternative because the Arabs had taken over the majority of North Africa. Bartolommeo Dias was the first explorer to find a route to India by going around Africa by the Cape of Good Hope. At this time Portuguese started their trading post empire with several trading posts all around Africa and Asia. They started getting involved in trade in the Indian Ocean and sending voyages very often.

This was a key period in Columbus life. He was a young man with interest and sailing and in top of that he lived in the perfect place for an explorer. Portugal was becoming very rich and the crown was spending a lot of money in research and development of shipbuilding and navigation accessories. By this time Columbus also had the immense fortune to get married with woman of high social class named Felipa Moniz. This marriage elevated Columbus status and opened him the doors of Portuguese trade and colonization notions. Apart from now being part of a high social status he also had a brother who was a great geographer and mapmaker. Along with Bartolommeo, his brother, Columbus had the chance to study up-to-date maps and important geographical texts.

During this time Columbus started to wonder about sailing west. There was no evidence of land and it could be possible to reach China by sailing west. He figured that the earth circumference was of 18000 miles because America didn't exist in his maps. By 1480's Columbus had already planned and outline the plan for the voyage and so presented it to King Joao II of Portugal. However the king rejected the proposal mainly because Columbus was demanding too much of potential profit. As a result Columbus decides to live Portugal and go to Spain in a quest for new opportunities.

Just as Columbus was starting a new life in Spain, Spain was also starting a new age. Recently Fernando and Isabel had united and with this, Spain was going through several changes. In 1487, Columbus presented his project to Fernando and Isabella but this time Spain wasn't ready to finance explorers. They had the Inquisition, the Reconquista and in top of this they were trying to conquer Granada, so they rejected Columbus. This however didn't slow him down, he kept on looking for support in neighboring countries such as France and England and ended up returning to Portugal. In 1488, Columbus presents his project to Joao II again and once more he is rejected. Bartolommeo Dias had just returned from his vayage to India and most of