Christopher Columbus Facts – Interesting Facts About Christopher Columbus

Fun Facts About Christopher Columbus

The Spanish crown first rejected his plan but were intrigued and hence kept him on a retainer. Their main focus during the time was to win a war with Muslims.

Father Perez, a priest interceded when the Spaniards King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella initially hesitated to fund Columbus exploration and said that if Columbus succeeded then he would be able to convert many races to Christianity. Finally in 1492, they gave ships and funds to Columbus.

In Christopher Columbus 1492 voyage, there were three ships with a crew of 90 men. The larger one being Santa Maria nicknamed Galician, the two smaller ones being the Pinta and the Santa Clara nicknamed the Nina.

Columbus in his first voyage landed on the San Salvador Island in Bahamas. Although he thought he was near Japan, China and India, he was actually quite far away from them.

Columbus found the land 36 days after they begin the journey.

The sailor who was first to spot the land would receive pensions from the Spanish crown. Rodrigo de Triana was first to spot the land but Columbus to claim the reward said that he spotted it a night before.

When Columbus landed in Bahamas, all the Caribbean islands including Bahamas, Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic were settled by a group of people called the Tainos.

When Columbus discovered that the new lands were not rich in silver, pearls or other treasures, but hold people, he viewed them as valuable resource. He was a slave trader.

When Columbus returned to the Spain with natives, Queen Isabella considered them as subjects and hence could not be enslaved unless they refuse to get converted. However, they were enslaved all the time during the Colonial era.

When Columbus found the New World, he thought that he reached India and the people he met were Indians.