Christopher Columbus
Definition
An Italian explorer sponsored by Spain who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening up widespread European exploration and eventual conquest of Americas.
Analogy
Imagine you're playing a video game where you've just unlocked a new world or level. That's what Christopher Columbus did - he "unlocked" a new world for Europeans even though it was already inhabited by indigenous peoples.
Related terms
Columbian Exchange: The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, ideas etc., between Old World (Europe) and New World (Americas) following Columbus' voyages.
Nina, Pinta & Santa Maria: The three ships used by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage across Atlantic ocean to Americas.
Indigenous Peoples' Day: A holiday celebrated on second Monday of October as an alternative to Columbus Day to honor Native American heritage.
"Christopher Columbus" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (4)
Where did Christopher Columbus originally come from?
Christopher Columbus' first voyage in 1492 was sponsored by which monarchy?
What would likely be a significant change if Christopher Columbus hadn't convinced Ferdinand and Isabella to fund his voyages?
How might U.S. history be different had Christopher Columbus not made his voyage in 1492?
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.