“Ahoy, Mateys! Are you ready to set sail on a journey through history with the one and only Christopher Columbus? You may think you know the story of the man who discovered America, but let us tell you, there’s more to this explorer than meets the eye. So grab your compass, a bottle of rum, and get ready to laugh, learn, and be thoroughly entertained with these lesser-known Christopher Columbus facts. Just like Columbus, you’ll be discovering something new and unexpected, so brace yourself for a wild ride!”
Fun Facts about Christopher Columbus
1. Christopher Columbus, also known as Cristoforo Colombo, was an Italian navigator and explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for the widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
2. Despite popular belief, when Columbus “discovered” the Americas, the continent was already inhabited by 90 million people, which was a third of the world’s population.
3. It is also important to note that Leif Erikson, a Norse explorer, is regarded as the first European to land in North America, nearly 500 years before Columbus.
4. In his voyages, Columbus was known for trickery. He once correctly predicted an eclipse to fool the native inhabitants of Jamaica into giving him food and supplies.
5. He brought the first lemon seeds to America.
Interesting Facts about Christopher Columbus
6. Interestingly, there’s a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus alive today. He is a Spanish noble.
7. However, it is also worth noting that over 3 million people perished from war, slavery, and the mines in Hispaniola under the rule of Christopher Columbus.
8. And despite his historical significance, no one knows what Christopher Columbus looked like, as no authentic contemporary portraits of him were found. Most of the images we see today are just reconstructed from written descriptions.
9. Christopher Columbus had some pretty unique ideas. He had a peculiar idea about the shape of the world, like thinking that the world was shaped like a woman’s breast.
10. But don’t let his unique ideas fool you, he was also known for his strict punishments. Once, he punished a man found guilty of stealing corn by having his ears and nose cut off and then selling him into slavery.
Surprising Facts about Christopher Columbus
11. He saw mermaids in 1493, but from his description, they were probably manatees.
12. He was also financially savvy. When he needed a place to store his loot, he went to the Banco di San Giorgio in Genoa, Italy, the world’s first public modern bank.
13. Despite not being a scholarly man, he learned Latin, Portuguese, and Castilian. He read widely about astronomy, geography, and history.
14. He showed a keen interest in the Bible and Biblical prophecies. He would often quote biblical texts in his letters and logs.
15. Columbus compiled a “Book of Prophecies” near the end of his life, where he saw himself and his voyages as part of a divine plan. He also interpreted them as fulfilling various biblical prophecies.
That’s it for this post guys, I hope you had fun while reading 15 Interesting Christopher Columbus facts that you should know.
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