The voyage that changed history: when Columbus sailed West in 1492, he left one world and found another. (American History).INTRODUCTION Born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa (Italian: Repubblica di Genova) was an independent state in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast from the 11th century to 1797, when it was invaded by armies of Revolutionary France under Napoleon. (Italy) young Christopher Columbus worked as an apprentice (trainee) in his father's wool shop. A tall boy with fiery red hair and freckles freckles Ephilides Brown macules, often exacerbated on sun-exposed zones of the skin surface, which disappear during the winter, and most commonly affecting the fair-skinned, especially of Celtic stock. See Macule. Cf Nevus. , Christopher yearned to sail the high seas high seas In maritime law, the waters lying outside the territorial waters of any and all states. In the Middle Ages, a number of maritime states asserted sovereignty over large portions of the high seas. . In his early teens, he made his first voyage. A few years later, pirates attacked his fleet off the coast of Portugal. Seven ships were sunk, and hundreds of sailors drowned. A wounded Christopher swam more than six miles to safety. But his greatest adventure--on one of the most famous voyages ever-still lay far in the future. Scene 1 Narrator NARRATOR. A pleader who draws narrs serviens narrator, a sergeant at law. Fleta, 1. 2, c. 37. Obsolete. A: 1463. Christopher gazes out at the Ligurian Sea Ligurian Sea (lĭgy  r`ēən), arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Ligurian coast (Italian Riviera) and the islands of Corsica and Elba; the Gulf of Genoa is its northernmost as
trading vessels enter the port of Genoa.Christopher Columbus: Look at those ships, Bartholomew! Imagine the riches they bring. Bartholomew Columbus: Yes, all the way from the Far East. Pepper, silk, tea, and spices. Narrator A: Products from the Orient bring big prices in Europe. But warring Turks and thieves make the overland trip dangerous. Christopher: Father wants me to be a weaver, but that's not the life for me.] want adventure--sailing the seas and dueling with pirates! Narrator A: When he gets older, Christopher teaches himself to read. He studies maps by candlelight and devours Marco Polo's book, Description of the World. Christopher: Listen to this. Polo actually met the great Kublai Khan Kublai Khan (k  `blī kän), 1215–94, Mongol emperor, founder of the Yüan dynasty of China. From 1251 to 1259 he led military campaigns in S China. in China. The walls of the Khan's palace were covered with
gold and silver!Bartholomew: Blow out the candle, big brother, and get some sleep. You have to be at the loom in the morning. Christopher: Some day I'll sail to the Indies [eastern Asia]. I'll visit Cathay (China] and Cipangu [Japan] just like Polo, and bring home gold, jewels, and silk! Scene 2 Narrator B: Across the Atlantic Ocean--then known as the Ocean Sea--a boy named Caro swims with his friend Toma. Members of the Taino tribe, the boys live on Guanahani [GWAH-nah-hani], an island whose name means iguana iguana (ĭgwä`nə), name for several large lizards of the family Iguanidae, found in tropical America and the Galapagos. The common iguana (Iguana iguana . Caro: Let's swim to shore. Mother needs me to start the fire for supper. Toma: I want to lie on the beach for a while. The gentle breeze gentle breeze n. A wind with a speed from 8 to 12 miles (13 to 19 kilometers) per hour, according to the Beaufort scale. Noun 1. feels good. Caro (looking out to sea): Toma, what do you suppose lies beyond the great waters? Could it be heaven? Toma: No, heaven is right here--on Guanahani. Caro: But where do the gods live? Toma: Don't ask silly questions, Caro. You know that your grandfather expects you to be our leader when you are older. Your place is here. Caro: If it weren't for the Carib [a hostile tribe nearby], this would be paradise. Still, I'd give anything to reach the ocean's edge. Scene 3 Narrator C: Christopher Columbus, now in his 30s, is determined to sail to the Indies. He pores over every navigational map he can find. Christopher Columbus: By my calculations, Bartholomew, the circumference [length] of the Earth at the equator is 20,400 miles. That means only 2,400 miles of ocean separate Spain from Japan. I know I could reach Japan by sailing west! Bartholomew: Surely you've made a mistake. Japan is much farther away. Christopher: I'm certain I'm right. Narrator C: Christopher Columbus spends years trying to convince European royalty--especially Queen Isabella Noun 1. Queen Isabella - the queen of Castile whose marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon in 1469 marked the beginning of the modern state of Spain; they instituted the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 and sponsored the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492 (1451-1504) and King Ferdinand Noun 1. King Ferdinand - the king of Castile and Aragon who ruled jointly with his wife Isabella; his marriage to Isabella I in 1469 marked the beginning of the modern state of Spain and their capture of Granada from the Moors in 1492 united Spain as one country; they of Spain to finance his voyage. Columbus: Your Majesty, I know I can reach the Indies by sailing west. Queen Isabella: But every scholar says that the quickest route is around the southern tip of Africa. Columbus: I'll prove them wrong. Queen Isabella: I'm sorry, but King Ferdinand will not allow me to finance such a foolish journey. Narrator C: A dejected de·ject·ed adj. Being in low spirits; depressed. See Synonyms at depressed. de·ject  ed·ly adv. Columbus leaves. But soon there is a knock
on Noun 1. knock on - (rugby) knocking the ball forward while trying to catch it (a foul)rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball rugby, rugby football, rugger - a form of football played with an oval ball his door. Messenger: Columbus! The Queen wants to see you. Hurry! Queen Isabella: King Ferdinand and I have changed our minds. Our Portuguese neighbors have gotten wealthy from the Far East trade. Why shouldn't we? Columbus: You will not be disappointed, your Majesty. I will return with gold, silk, and spices. And I will convert (change) the native people to our holy Catholic religion. Queen Isabella: We will give you three ships, all the supplies you need, and a crew. The first man to lay eyes on the Indies will get an allowance in gold every year for the rest of his life. Columbus: Thank you, your Majesty! I will make Spain proud! Scene 4 Narrator D: The Nina [NEE-nyah], Pinta Pinta Definition A bacterial infection of the skin which causes red to bluish-black colored spots. Description Pinta is a skin infection caused by the bacterium Treponema carateum [PEEN-tah], and Santa Maria Santa Maria, city, Brazil Santa Maria (sän`tə mərē`ə), city (1991 pop. 217,592), Rio Grande do Sul state, S Brazil. It is a major railroad terminus and the site of an important military base. set sail from the Spanish town Spanish Town, city (1991 pop. 110,379), SE Jamaica, on the Cobre River. It is the commercial and processing center of a rich agricultural region, as well as the main rail and highway communications hub for traffic to and from Kingston (the capital) and other parts of of Palos on August 3, 1492. Columbus commands the Santa Maria. Columbus: Sailor, bring me my compass and charts (maps). Narrator D: The men stop at the Canary Islands, where they repair the Pinta's rudder and stock up on fresh supplies. Martin Alonso Pinzon: Men! Put these water casks on deck, and the pickled beef and pork below. Columbus: Soon I will achieve my dream. We will follow the sun to the Indies! Narrator D: During the voyage, Columbus keeps a diary. Columbus (writing in his diary): "September 6: In my opinion, it is better to continue directly west in order to reach the island of Japan. My decision has not pleased the men, for they continue to murmur and complain." Pedro Gutierrez: Columbus is crazy. Yesterday he thought a bank of clouds was land. Rodrigo de Triana Rodrigo de Triana (born 1469 in Sevilla, Spain) was a Spanish sailor. Born as Juan Rodrigo Bermejo, Triana was the son of hidalgo and potter Vicente Bermejo and Sereni Betancour. His father may have been murdered during the Spanish Inquisition. : We've been at sea for more than a month. I'm tired of eating fatback fat·back n. The strip of fat from the upper part of a side of pork, usually dried and salt-cured. Noun 1. fatback - salt pork from the back of a hog carcass [dried and salted strips of hog fat]. Juan Rodriguez: Me, too! If we don't reach land in three days, let's throw Columbus overboard! Narrator D: The crew is ready to mutiny (rebel). But soon the men see driftwood, seaweed, and other signs that land is near. Columbus: Look, tropical birds. They never get more than 25 leagues [about 75 miles] from shore. Triana: And there are plants floating on the water. Pinzon: The plants must have been torn from land. We cannot be far now! Scene 5 Narrator E: At 2:00 a.m. on October 12, the Pinta fires a cannon. One of the crew members has spotted land. Triana Tierra! Tierra! Columbus: Yes, but I saw land first, sailor. I get the Queen's prize. Narrator E: The men grumble as Columbus stands at the helm (ship's steering wheel) in a scarlet cape. Columbus: Thanks be to God! We have arrived at the Indies Islands. Narrator E: Actually, the crew has not reached the Indies at all. Instead, they have found a small island in the Bahamas (see map). It is where Columbus expected to find Japan. Columbus: I now take possession of San Salvador, island of our Savior, for the King and Queen of Spain. Narrator E: Early the next morning, Caro and Toma watch the visitors from a grove of trees. Caro: Do you suppose they're from heaven, Toma? Toma: The tall one looks like a big red parrot. Maybe they are gods. Caro: Let's bring them gifts: fishbone darts, parrots, and cotton thread. Narrator E: Caro, Toma, and dozens of Taino men sail out to the ships in a boat carved from the trunk of a tree. It is the first time Europeans have seen a canoe. Columbus: Put down your arms, men. These Indians are good and gentle people. We will convert them to our Holy Faith. AFTERWORD Columbus made three more voyages to the New World. His restless search for gold, rubies, and emeralds made him rich, but led him to treat the Taino cruelly. Many were enslaved Enslaved may refer to:
Within a few decades, most of the Taino would be dead from hunger, disease, and harsh treatment at the hands of the "men from the sky." Europeans, in turn, would benefit from the Taino's farming and woodworking skills. For the first time, hammocks, snowshoes snowshoes, footgear enabling the wearer to walk on soft snow without sinking. A snowshoe consists of a light frame of tough wood or aluminum, roughly the shape of a large tennis racket, which is strung with caribou skin or other material and is attached to the shoe , tobacco, pumpkins, tomatoes, and pineapples appeared in the Old World. Centuries of exploration, exploitation, and exchange had begun. RELATED ARTICLE: CHARACTERS Christopher Columbus Bartholomew Columbus, Christopher's younger brother * Caro * Toma Taino boys Queen Isabella of Spain Messenger Martin Alonso Pinzon (mar-TEEN ah-LONE-soh peen-ZONE), captain of the Pinta Pedro Gutierrez, butler on the Pinta Juan Rodriguez, crewman Rodrigo de Triana, crewman Narrators A-E A-E, AE above-elbow; see under amputation. * Starred characters are fictitious.
Your Turn
Word Match
1. apprentice A. change
2. circumference B. rebel
3. chart C. trainee
4. convert D. map
5. mutiny E. distance around
globe
Think About It
1. Why was Columbus so confident that he could reach Japan and the
Indies by sailing west?
2. Why was Columbus's voyage a turning point in history?
Word Match, p. 19 1. C 2. E 3. D 4. A 5. B |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion