Special Feature of Christopher Columbus

EXPLORATION TECHNIQUES WITH THEIR TOOLS

Compasses, astrolabes, hourglasses, maps and charts were used for navigation during the 15^th century. A very popular method used during those times known as dead reckoning, was a method of sailing under familiar skies. Another method used was finding direction by mapping the location of stars.

Astrolabe was used when sky was clear and the stars could be easily located. A metal disk along with a map of celestial bodies was used in this method. Any mariner could tell the location by positioning the stars on the astrolabe to match the stars and the sky.

Columbus preferred the technique of dead reckoning. It determined the position of the ship after determining its starting and last known location. Calculations were made after determining direction of travel and the time taken to travel, to determine the new location of the ship. Distance traveled in an hour or day was calculated by dropping a floating object in the sea at the front of the ship and the time taken by the object to reach the rear side of the ship was noted. Knowing how long the ship was, they could also determine the speed at which the ship was travelling. Columbus was an expert navigator at interpreting the signs of nature, such as the behavior of birds, the smell of the air, and the condition of the seas and the color of the sky. He was also an expert at predicting hurricanes accurately.

EXPERIENCES DURING NAVIGATION

During the 15^th century, navigation was not an easy task. The ships were so small that there was no space to build quarters for the crew. The crew had to sleep wherever they found space. They spent time singing, praying, telling stories, eating and performing the daily chores and most of all waiting to reach their destination. Ships carried foodstuff such as water, salt, meat, live pigs and hens for the crew. They also carried rice, cheese and figs with them. Navigational instruments such as charts, compasses, magnets and maps were also found with them.

BOOK OF PRIVILEGES

The Book of Privileges is a collection of agreements between Columbus and the Crown of Spain, prepared in Seville in 1502. The document represents Columbus’ confirmation of the right to titles and agreement of distribution of wealth between him and the Spanish Crown. It also contains routine instructions and authorizations laid down by Columbus before leaving for the Third Voyage. All three copies have 36 common documents that defined the line of demarcation of Spanish and Portuguese exploration. This description of the line of demarcation is found in Papal Bull of May 4, 1493.

MAN AND MYTH

Columbus’s enterprise to find a westward route to Asia grew out of the political experience of a long and varied maritime career, as well as out of his considerable reading in geographical and theological literature. There prevail several controversies on the life and discoveries of Christopher Columbus. A few of them are listed here.

MYTH	Columbus wanted to prove that the earth was round.
FACT	At that time everybody knew that the earth was spherical from the Etymologies of St Isidore of Seville. So there was no doubt about the shape of the earth but its circumference was certainly underestimated by Columbus by one-fourth.
MYTH	The crew on Santa Maria, Nina and Pinta were mainly either criminals or culprits.
FACT	The crew consisted basically of seasoned sailors, however there were four criminals on board, a man convicted for murder and the other three were accused of freeing him from prison.
MYTH	Some believed that there was a priest on one of the three ships in the 1492 Voyage.
FACT	First Voyage of 1492 had no priest aboard any of the ships. The Second Voyage probably had five priests, two Fathers and three Franciscans.
MYTH	Columbus had Italian origins.
FACT	Some believed that he was a converted Jew, some claim him of having a Viking ancestor, while others state him as a Corsican native. But it is a fact that he was a Genoese, born in Italy.
MYTH	Columbus died in prison.
FACT	He was definitely excused by the king and the queen and died at home in the presence of his family and friends.
MYTH	Columbus discovered the mainland of North America.
FACT	Columbus as a matter of fact never saw North America. His first visit was to the Bahamas. Next was to Puerto Rico, the northeastern tip of South America and the eastern coast of Central America, but definitely not mainland USA.
MYTH	Queen Isabella’s crown jewels were sold for Columbus’s Voyage.
FACT	The queen might have agreed to this idea, but her financial adviser gave assurance that there were enough funds to undertake such a Voyage. The funds were basically provided by the city of Palos by providing two ships but the Queen was not required to give funds from the treasury.