On his first voyage at sea, the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain with his crew aboard 3 ships named: the Pinta, the Santa Maria, and the Nina. His ambitions were twofold — he sought to chart a new route to the Orient and to return with treasures for Spain.
For several weeks during the journey, Christopher Columbus and his crew saw no land whatsoever. Then, on the 29th day at sea, a flock of land birds appeared in the sky. Columbus decided to shift his course, following the bird's flight plan.
Christopher Columbus made landfall on October 12th, 1492, arriving at a Caribbean island in the Bahamas. He names the island San Salvador. He thinks he has reached the East Indies.
TAINO PEOPLE
The crew and Columbus encountered the naked Taino people, who spoke Arawak languages and lived as nomadic hunters and gatherers. What struck Christopher Columbus was their intelligence — he was particularly impressed by their ability to repeat phrases they were given in his language.
He seized some of their gold jewelry and gold dust. Beyond material wealth, Columbus believed the Taino people could be transformed into Christians and civilized. In a darker turn, Christopher Columbus took many of the Taino people prisoners, intending to offer them to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella upon his return.
HISTORY
By attempting to colonize the islands he discovered, Columbus had launched The Age of Exploration. His voyages inspired many navigators to follow in his footsteps, exploring new worlds and bringing back treasures. To this day, Christopher Columbus has gone down in history as a brilliant navigator and explorer.