CHAPTER I

COLUMBUS AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise,

The queen of the world and the child of the skies.
-TIMOTHY DWIGHT.

Knowledge of the World in the Fifteenth Century.-The real history of America began when the New World was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Fifty years before that time the inhabitants of Europe knew very little about any peoples outside their own continent. They knew something about the countries of northern Africa, because those countries bordered on the Mediterranean Sea. It was easy for the Europeans to visit them in their boats. They also knew something about India, for European traders purchased all sorts of goods that were brought to them from India and beyond.

Marco Polo.-Marco Polo, a traveler from Venice, had returned to Europe in 1295 with wonderful stories about the countries he had visited in Asia. He had spent many years in China and had learned something of Japan. Such stories furnished all the information that Europeans had about distant countries. No ships then crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and no man in Europe knew that America existed.

How did Europeans happen to discover this New World? They did it while trying to find a new route to India.

Trade with India.-Before the year 1453 three routes between Europe and Asia were used by the traders. The merchants of Genoa used one. Their ships went to Con

stantinople, where they met traders that had come overland by caravan from Central Asia. These caravans brought silks, spices, perfumes, pearls, and precious stones from India and neighboring countries. The merchants of Venice used the other two routes. Some of their vessels went to Alexandria and Cairo, in Egypt, where they met traders who brought them goods received from India by way of the Red Sea and the waters beyond.

Others

FIFTEENTH CENTURY

went to Antioch, where they met caravans that had come from the head of the Persian Gulf across the Arabian desert.

In 1453 the Turks from Asia captured the city of Constantinople. The Turks were enemies of the Christians, and they would not let the ships of Genoa come to their city to trade with the caravans. So the trade of Genoa was ruined. The Turks continued to move by land and sea towards the Red Sea. Venice saw that in a few years her route would be in the hands of the Turks

and her trade also would be ruined. The people of Europe knew that they must stop trading with India or find a new route to that country.

The king of Portugal thought that ships could go around Africa and reach India in that way. He did not think that Africa was as large as it really is. When his sailors went a long distance down the west coast without coming to the end, they became frightened and discouraged and returned home. They feared they could never reach India in that way, and even if they could, they thought the route would be too long and dangerous. They wondered whether anyone could find a shorter route.

Columbus.-Christopher Columbus said he believed he could find a shorter way to India by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. Nearly everybody thought this a foolish idea. There were a few learned men in Europe who believed the earth to be round like a ball. Columbus had studied geography, and he, too, believed the earth to be round. Most people at this time, however, were positive that the earth was flat like the top of a table. When one reached the edge of it, down he dropped. No one knew where he went.

If the earth were round, Columbus was sure a ship could sail around it and reach countries on the other side of it. So he felt certain that he could find India in that way. He was a sailor and had made many voyages. He was not afraid to sail out upon the great ocean where no ship had ever sailed before.

But Columbus was a poor man. He had no money and no ships. He asked the people of his native city, Genoa, to help him, but they thought he was crazy. Then he went to Portugal to get help from the king of that country. The king would do nothing for him. He next went to Spain and for eight years tried to get help from Ferdinand and Isabella, then king and queen. The learned

men laughed at him, and the king and queen could not be interested because they were too busy with their war against the Moors, who still held a part of their country. When at last the war was over, they had more time to listen to Columbus, but he could not persuade them to help him. He was discouraged and decided to go to France. But just as he was about to set out, some friends sent for him. They had persuaded Queen Isabella to give him help. Other friends in Palos lent him money, and soon he had three small ships ready to sail. He had much trouble in finding sailors brave enough to go with him. Few people would take such an awful risk. But at last ninety sailors and thirty adventurers and priests agreed

to go.

They sailed from Palos, Spain, on August 3rd, 1492. When they had sailed for weeks and weeks and found no land, the sailors were afraid. They thought they would never see home again. Columbus encouraged them to go on and on until, on the morning of October 12th, they reached an island. How happy they were! Columbus and many of his men went ashore. Kneeling, he kissed the ground, while tears of joy ran down his cheeks. Then he raised a cross and the royal banner of Spain and took possession of the land in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella. The island was one of the Bahamas. Columbus named it San Salvador. He thought that he had reached India. So he called the people whom he found there "Indians." For three months he explored the waters near San Salvador, discovering many islands. The largest of these were Cuba and Haiti. Everywhere he went he asked for spices, gold, and precious stones, but he could find only a few gold ornaments worn by the natives in their noses. These they gladly gave to the Spaniards in exchange for beads and bells.

In January, 1493, Columbus left about forty of his

men on the island of Haiti and sailed back to Spain. The people were wild with joy when they heard of his discovery. Wherever he went bells were rung and crowds of people gathered to see him. The king and queen listened to his story and saw the gold, the strange birds and new plants, and the nine Indians that he had brought with him. Then they fell on their knees and thanked God

for what Columbus had done for their kingdom. They at once claimed for Spain all the lands that had been discovered.

Later Voyages.-Columbus made three other voyages to America and discovered more islands and the coast of South America. He died in 1506, shortly after returning to Spain from his fourth voyage. His last days were full of sorrow. Queen Isabella, who had been his friend, was dead, and King Ferdinand, disappointed because Columbus had not found rich mines of gold, treated him