Christopher Columbus was born in the seafaring city of Genoa, Italy.

Columbus worked aboard merchant ships as a teenager and sailed throughout the Mediterranean Sea. At an early age, he began to show a great interest in navigation and cartography.

Columbus moved to Spain and continued to study navigation and geography. He believed he could find a trading route to Asia by sailing west from Spain.

In order to find a western route to Asia, Columbus asked Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to pay for his voyage.

On August 3rd, 1492 with the financial support of the King and Queen of Spain, Columbus set sail to find the western route to Asia.

On October 12th, 1492 a crew member named Rodrigo de Triana shouted out that he had spotted land. Columbus would name the island San Salvador.

Columbus and his crew land on what will be known to be the island of Cuba and soon, they make the first permanent Spanish settlement. Columbus believed he landed in Asia.

Columbus returned to Spain with artifacts and American captives as proof of his discoveries. This interaction between the two worlds marked the beginning of the Columbus Exchange.

In 1506, Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain. At the time of his death, thousands of Europeans had set sail thanks to this "New World" discovered by Columbus.

THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS