Christopher Columbus Motivations to Sail West for the...

Christopher Columbus Motivations to Sail West for the Indies Christopher Columbus lived in an age of Moslem expansion in the east. With the fall of Constantinople in 1453, direct land routes to the Indies were closed to European merchants and traders, thus creating the need to find a sea route to the Indies. Portugal had spent years sailing the coast of Africa to reach the Indies, but Columbus thought he had a better way: sailing west. With the defeat of the Moors in 1492 Queen Isabella of Spain was willing to consider to Columbus proposal to sail west. The motivations of Columbus sailing west to the Indies, whether economic, spiritual or personal, were all based on ancient authorities, writings and personal beliefs. Columbus†¦show more content†¦Columbus Enterprise of the Indies. Columbus developed his theory of sailing west to the Indies after considerable time as a sailor. He had sailed down the coast of Africa and believed sailing west would be faster. He based this on the writings of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Marinus of Tyre, Marco Polos Travel, Cardinal Pierre dAillys Imago Mundi, Historia Rerum by Pope Pius II, Plinys Natural History, and the Bible. Marco Polo intrigues Columbus, especially with his description of Cipangu or Zipangu (Japan) which he claimed was situated 1500 miles off the coast of China. In his description Marco Polo mentions the many riches of the Japanese, especially gold. He stated: The extraordinary richness of the sovereigns palace . . . is a wonderful sight. The entire roof is covered with a plating of gold. . . . The ceilings of the halls are of the same precious metal; many of the apartments have small tables of pure gold, of considerable thickness; and the windows also have golden ornaments. . . . In this island there are pearls also, in large quan- tities, of a pink colour, round in shape, and of great size equal in value to, or even exceeding that of the white pearl. Unfortunately for the plans of Columbus, many geographers and religious leaders did not believe all that Polo wrote and if Columbus was to get financial backing from aShow MoreRelatedThe Spanish Slave Trade Between 1500 And 1866 Essay1019 Words   |  5 Pagesleft a significant mark not only in the Americas but also in global history. In 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew set their sails across the Atlantic Ocean with hopes of arriving in the East. However, they mistakenly voyaged their way into the Americas. With the intention of gaining wealth and spreading Christianity, the Spanish launched their ships in the coastal regions of the West Indies. Christopher Columbus, upon arrival, forcefully dominated the land of the â€Å"Indians†. In his letter to KingRead MoreThe Expansion Of A Early 16th Century Traveler Essay1056 Words   |  5 Pagesleft a significant mark not only in America, but also in global history. In 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew set their sails across the Atlantic Ocean with hopes of arriving in the East. However, they mistakenly voyaged their way into the Americas. With the intention of gaining wealth and spreading Christianity, the Spanish launched their ships in the coastal regions of the West Indies. Christopher Columbus, upon arrival, forcefully dominated the land of the â€Å"Indians†. In his letter to KingRead MoreChristopher Columbus, An Italian Explorer1827 Words   |  8 PagesChristopher Columbus was an Italian explorer that sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a westward route to Asia. During the time of Christopher Columbus, the late 1400’s to early 1500’s, land across the Atlantic Ocean was yet to be discovered. Though, it was believed that there was a route across the Atlantic Ocean that would lead to Asia. Christopher Columbus took interest in searching for a route across the Atlantic Ocean. With the help of the Spanish government, Columbus was granted withRead MoreFactors Which Stimulated Atlantic Maritime Exploration in 15th Century2074 Words   |  9 Pagesexploration in 15th century During the period of time 1400-1499 great gains were made by the Europeans in their quest for knowledge of the world they lived in. In this time period the Europeans circum-navigated Africa, located the territories of the West Indies and basically redrew the map of the world. All these things had one thing in common; they were the result of extensive Atlantic maritime exploration. The reasons that European engaged in such aggressive exploration in 15th century can be attributedRead MoreFactors Which Stimulated Atlantic Maritime Exploration in 15th Century2082 Words   |  9 Pagesin 15th century During the period of time 1400-1499 great gains were made by the Europeans in their quest for knowledge of the world they lived in. In this time period the Europeans circum-navigated Africa, located the territories of the West Indies and basically redrew the map of the world. All these things had one thing in common; they were the result of extensive Atlantic maritime exploration. The reasons that European engaged in such aggressive exploration in 15th century can be attributedRead MoreThe Important Features Of Spains Many Discoveries2515 Words   |  11 Pagesfeatures of Spain’s many exploration and discoveries. Many varieties of discoveries were made with the Spanish’s exploration of the new world, some of these discoveries that still impact the world today. Motivation for Exploration There are many similarities and differences between the motivations for Spanish exploration of the New World. The most common of these is wealth and glory. The Englishman, Walter Raleigh, stated that his purpose for the exploration of El Dorado was â€Å"to seek new world, forRead MoreMarco Polos Influence on Christopher Columbus...2145 Words   |  9 Pagesperception of the Eastern world, a world just as advanced and sophisticated as that of the West. Yet, another two centuries were needed for a significant change to take place; this was Christopher Columbus voyage. For Christopher Columbus, Marco Polos travelogue was a valuable and solid resource that contained the necessary details of the East. The geographical descriptions in his writing generated a basis for Columbus scientific calculations for his expedition and the explicit depictions of the luxuryRead More Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen Essay1948 Words   |  8 Pagesperfect creatures without conflicts, pain, c reditability, or human interest(Lies p.9). Several examples, including the lions from our history, in Pageant include Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Woodrow Wilson. Others are defamed, like Stephen A. Douglas, and John Brown. In Pageant Christopher Columbus is one of the first people named as relevant to our history. He is built up as a hero, with words such as a man of vision, energy, resourcefulness, and courageRead MoreColonization of the New World3463 Words   |  14 Pagesimpossible to understand today without at least some comprehension of the why s of yesterday. What was it that drove such a myriad of people to risk so much to tame the wild and vast lands we now know as and call the Americas. What were the reasons, motivations, causes, events, and possibilities that captured the minds and hearts of so many different peoples from such divers backgrounds? What led them to leave their friends, families, and homes, to face such challenges, hardships, and uncertainties thisRead MoreEuropes Second Logistic5530 Words   |  23 Pagesin Portugal. These vessels evolved from medieval European designs from the North Sea and both the Christian and Islamic Mediterranean. They were the first ships that c ould leave the relatively placid and calm Mediterranean, Baltic or North Sea and sail safely on the open Atlantic. The so-called Age of Discovery began in the late fifteenth century, but Europeans had been probing the known areas and boundaries of their world for several centuries before that, motivated by tales of fabulous riches in