Christopher+Columbus

I**n 1400 and 92, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He sailed and sailed and sailed and sailed to find this land for me and you...**  **Did you sing this song in elementary school? If you did, you probably learned that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. However, is this really true?**

There are many myths associated with Christopher Columbus. Although he was born and raised in Italy, his voyages were sponsored by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Why was this so? Find out more about Christopher Columbus in order to separate the truth from fiction. [|Beyond the Textbook: The Journey of Christopher Columbus] Check out this website produced by Glencoe about the voyages of Christopher Columbus. Make sure that you click on the links on the left side of the page to find out more about the people whom Columbus encountered, particularly the Taino Indians.

[|Spotlight Video: Christopher Columbus] Watch this quick introductory video to find out more about Columbus' first voyage to (most likely) San Salvador.

[|The Columbus Navigation Homepage]  If you would like to find out more about Columbus and his voyages, this is the website to visit. It contains tons of facts, maps, and pictures that thoroughly explain his life before and after landing in North America in 1492. [|1492: An Ongoing Voyage] The exhibition 1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE describes both pre- and post-contact America, as well as the Mediterranean world at the same time. Many questions are asked such as: Who lived in the Americas before 1492? Who followed Columbus? What was the effect of 1492 for Americans throughout the Western Hemisphere? The Library of Congress's Quincentenary exhibition addresses these questions as well as other related themes, including fifteenth century European navigation, the myths and facts surrounding Columbus, and the differences and similarities between European and American world views in the 1400s and 1500s.

[|Medieval Sourcebook: Columbus' Letter to the King and Queen of Spain, 1494] Read the translated letter from Christopher Columbus to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain about the island of Espanola (Hispanola).

[|Privileges and Prerogatives Granted by Their Catholic Majesties to Christopher Columbus : 1492] What was Columbus promised if he discovered any new colonies or continents by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella? Read the English translation of this document to find out.

[|Christopher Columbus- Featured Biography]  Watch this featured biography about Christopher Columbus produced by the Biography channel. [|History Channel: Columbus Day] Watch video clips about Christopher Columbus and the history of Columbus Day on the History Channel website.

[|Animated Maps: Christopher Columbus] Click on this link to watch animated maps of Christopher Columbus' four voyages to the new world. Make sure that the volume on your speakers is on! [|The Mariners' Museum: Exploration Through the Ages] Exploration has been a part of civilization for thousands of years. Retrace the steps of the great explorers from ancient times through the 20th century including Christopher Columbus. [|Finding the Santa Maria?]  Have experts found the Santa Maria? Click on the link above to find out more about finding what could be one of Columbus' ships that first sailed to the Western Hemisphere. Also, make sure that you scroll down the screen to find additional links to other sites and articles about this monumental find. **Columbian Exchange**  [|Columbian Exchange]   What animals, foodstuffs, and diseases did European explorers bring to the New World? What did they bring back to the Old World? Look at this detailed map to find out more. [|Columbian Exchanges]  Historians have pinpointed certain items that had the most biological and cultural impact on groups involved in the Columbian Exchange. Click on this link to see if you agree with them. [|The Columbian Exchange: Native Americans and the Land]  Through the Columbian Exchange, many plants, animals, and diseases were passed back and forth between the Old World and the New World. Check out this website to find out more information about how our lives are different because of this exchange. [|National Public Radio (NPR) interview- 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created] Written by Charles C. Mann, //1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created// argues that Columbus opened up the New World to the exchange of not only information, but also to food, animals, insects, plants and viruses between the continents. Although this article and interview are very scientific, they do include interesting ideas that may help us understand why Columbus is such an important person in history, whether you think he is a hero or a villain.