Columbus began the first voyage of his Enterprise of the Indies in 1492.

In the early 1480s, Italian-born Christopher Columbus devised a detailed plan for reaching the Orient by sailing west. He drew from his more than eight years of experience as a navigator and cartographer, a variety of local stories gathered during his travels, knowledge of the waters from Iceland to Africa and his study of ancient and contemporary writings. He called his plan the Enterprise of the Indies and spent the next seven years seeking patronage and financial backing from the monarchs of Portugal, France, England and Spain. Finally, in 1491, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to patronize the expedition. Although Columbus had convinced many of the royal couple’s advisors to support his plan, the plan was, nonetheless, almost rejected because his demands for reward were too high. Reportedly, Columbus was actually riding away from a meeting with Ferdinand and Isabella, having been rejected, when a royal messenger appeared on horseback to bring him back. The King’s treasurer, Luis de Santángel, had convinced the king and queen that the potential reward of Columbus’ Enterprise was higher than the cost. With his patronage secured, Columbus left for Palos de la Frontera in April of 1492 to prepare his ships. On this day in 1492, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria left Palos in search of a westward route to the Far East. Instead, on October 12, Columbus and his crew landed on an island in the Caribbean and made the first contact between Columbus’ Europe and the people of the New World. Convinced that the island was part of the land, known as the Indies, that had been described by Marco Polo during his journey to the Far East, Columbus called the inhabitants Indians. Even after three subsequent voyages, Columbus, described by history as the man who “discovered” America, continued to believe that he had reached the Indies. It remained for other explorers to prove that the land Columbus had sailed to was not shown on European maps at all.

EDSITEment
Debate over the legacy of Christopher Columbus has opened new perspectives on the Renaissance world that gave impetus to his first voyage and has raised awareness of the cultures he and those who followed him encountered in the world across the sea. In Other Worlds: The Voyage of Columbus (9–12), students can observe the events of 1492 from this dual vantage point, exploring the two worlds that made contact when Columbus stepped ashore.

In What Was Columbus Thinking? (3–5), students read excerpts from Christopher Columbus’ letters and journals, and recent considerations of his achievements. They then reflect on the motivations behind Columbus’ explorations, his reactions to what he found and the consequences, intended and unintended, of his endeavor.

Science NetLinks
If you ask most people who discovered America, they’ll probably say Christopher Columbus. But the Vikings spent time in the new world long before the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria set sail. In Viking Longhouse (6–12), a Science Update, students listen to a brief audio segment that helps them learn about where these early explorers may have gone after their visit.

ReadWriteThink
In Cyberspace Explorer: Getting to Know Christopher Columbus (3–5), students learn to examine multiple online information sources by completing a cyber scavenger hunt to learn about Columbus. They then use their notes to prepare a time-line and summary report. The online activity used in this lesson can easily be adapted to study other historical figures (e.g., Martin Luther King, César Chávez) and lang