
Ferdinand and Isabella financed a much larger expedition with seventeen ships and more than twelve hundred men soon after his return to Spain. During his second voyage, Columbus explored the islands that are now called Puerto Rico and Jamaica and established the first permanent Spanish settlement on Hispaniola.
Full Answer
What happened on Christopher Columbus’ first voyage?
With no room for the stranded sailors, Columbus was forced to found the La Navidad (“Christmas”), first European settlement in the New World. When he returned the following year, he found that the colonists had been massacred by natives. Columbus had three ships with him on his first voyage to the Americas: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María.
What happened to Columbus when he returned to Spain?
Columbus returned to Spain and a glorious welcome. He was given financing for a much larger second voyage which had as one of its goals to found a larger settlement on Hispaniola. His new fleet arrived at La Navidad on November 27, 1493, almost one year after it had been established.
What was the first permanent Spanish settlement in the New World?
While England slept, Spain became dominant in the New World and on the high seas. In 1493, during his second voyage, Columbus founded Isabela, the first permanent Spanish settlement in the New World, on Hispaniola.
What did Columbus find when he arrived in the New World?
With no room for the stranded sailors, Columbus was forced to found the La Navidad (“Christmas”), first European settlement in the New World. When he returned the following year, he found that the colonists had been massacred by natives.
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What happened on Columbus's first voyage?
On October 12, 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus made landfall in what is now the Bahamas. Columbus and his ships landed on an island that the native Lucayan people called Guanahani. Columbus renamed it San Salvador.
What happened during Columbus's voyage?
On August 3, 1492, Columbus and his crew set sail from Spain in three ships: the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. On October 12, the ships made landfall—not in the East Indies, as Columbus assumed, but on one of the Bahamian islands, likely San Salvador.
What did Spain gain from Columbus voyages?
These resources were imported majorly to Spain - new foods (like tomatoes), silver, gold, and "workforce" hugely contributed to the wealth Spain acquired in this period. This skyrocketed the Spanish empire to be the richest and most powerful in all of Europe.
When did Christopher Columbus make his first voyage for Spain?
August 3, 1492Columbus set sail from Spain in three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. On August 3, 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus started his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. With a crew of 90 men and three ships—the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria—he left from Palos de la Frontera, Spain.
What was Christopher Columbus voyage called?
Voyages of Christopher ColumbusPart of the Age of DiscoveryThe four voyages of Columbus (conjectural)Date1492, 1493, 1498 & 1502LocationThe AmericasParticipantsChristopher Columbus and Castilian crew (among others)1 more row
How long did Columbus first voyage take?
36 daysOn October 12, 1492, after 36 days of sailing westward across the Atlantic, Columbus and several crewmen set foot on an island in the present-day Bahamas, claiming it for Spain.
What were the consequences of Columbus Exploration of the New World?
Columbus's journeys to the Americas opened the way for European countries to colonize and exploit those lands and their peoples. Trade was soon established between Europe and the Americas. Plants native to the Americas (such as potatoes, tomatoes, and tobacco) were imported to Europe.
Who were the first settlers in America?
Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement.
Who funded Columbus first voyage?
Columbus made his transatlantic voyages under the sponsorship of Ferdinand II and Isabella I, the Catholic Monarchs of Aragon, Castile, and Leon in Spain.
What challenges did Columbus face on his voyage?
The many hardships of Christopher ColumbusFirst voyage, he discovered land, 1492-93.Second voyage, he encountered a hurricane, malaria and cannibals, 1493-1496.Third voyage, he faced rebellion and arrest, 1498-1500.More items...•
What challenges did Columbus face on his first voyage?
The crew of Columbus' ships faced many challenges when crossing the Atlantic Ocean. The adversities consisted of starvation, dehydration, Scurvy, (Lack of Vitamin C) and malnutrition.
When did Columbus return to Spain?
His new fleet arrived at La Navidad on November 27, 1493, almost one year after it had been established.
What ships did Columbus have on his first voyage?
The Santa María Runs Aground: Columbus had three ships with him on his first voyage to the Americas: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. They discovered unknown lands in October of 1492 and began exploring. The Pinta became separated from the other two ships.
What happened on December 24th 1492?
On the night of December 24-25, 1492, Christopher Columbus’ flagship, the Santa María, ran aground off the northern coast of the island of Hispaniola and had to be abandoned. With no room for the stranded sailors, Columbus was forced to found the La Navidad (“Christmas”), first European settlement in the New World.
What happened to the men of La Navidad?
Later, Guacanagari’s brother, a chieftain in his own right, told a different story. He said that the men of La Navidad went out in search of not only gold, but women as well, and had taken to mistreating the local natives. In retaliation, Guacanagari had ordered an attack and had himself been wounded. The Europeans were wiped out and the settlement burned to the ground. The massacre may have happened around August or September of 1493.
What was left behind in the Columbus ship?
The sailors were all rescued, but there was no room for them on Columbus’ remaining ship, the Niña, a smallish caravel. He had no choice but to leave some men behind. He reached an agreement with a local chieftain, Guacanagari, with whom he had been trading, and a small fort was built out of the remains of the Santa María. In all, 39 men were left behind, including a doctor and Luís de Torre, who spoke Arabic, Spanish and Hebrew and had been brought along as an interpreter. Diego de Araña, a cousin of Columbus’ mistress, was left in charge. Their orders were to collect gold and await Columbus’ return.
Where was the Santa Maria wreck?
On the night of December 24, the Santa Maria became stuck on a sandbar and coral reef off the northern shore of the Island of Hispaniola and was eventually dismantled. Columbus, in his official report to the crown, claims to have been asleep at the time and blamed the wreck on a boy.
Who was the first European to settle in America?
La Navidad: First European Settlement in the Americas. Christopher Columbus landing in America with the Piuzon Brothers bearing flags and crosses, 1492. Original Artwork: By D Puebla (1832 - 1904).
What was the first voyage of Christopher Columbus?
The First Voyage. Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. Christopher Columbus's Later Voyages. Legacy of Christopher Columbus. The explorer Christopher Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain: in 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia, but he never did.
Where did Columbus go in 1493?
In January 1493, leaving several dozen men behind in a makeshift settlement on Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), he left for Spain.
What happened to the native Taino people after Columbus landed?
Meanwhile, the native Taino population, forced to search for gold and to work on plantations, was decimated (within 60 years after Columbus landed, only a few hundred of what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island).
What did the Portuguese ship carry?
Starting in about 1420, small Portuguese ships known as caravels zipped along the African coast, carrying spices, gold and other goods as well as enslaved people from Asia and Africa to Europe.
What did Columbus want from Isabella?
Columbus wanted fame and fortune. Ferdinand and Isabella wanted the same, along with the opportunity to export Catholicism to lands across the globe. (Columbus, a devout Catholic, was equally enthusiastic about this possibility.)
Why not sail west across the Atlantic instead of around the massive African continent?
He argued (incorrectly) that the circumference of the Earth was much smaller than his contemporaries believed it was; accordingly, he believed that the journey by boat from Europe to Asia should be not only possible, but comparatively easy via an as-yet undiscovered Northwest Passage .
What was Columbus' contract with the Spanish rulers?
Columbus’ contract with the Spanish rulers promised that he could keep 10 percent of whatever riches he found, along with a noble title and the governorship of any lands he should encounter.
When did Columbus arrive in Spain?
When Columbus arrived back in Spain on March 15, 1493, he immediately wrote a letter announcing his discoveries to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who had helped finance his trip. The letter was written in Spanish and sent to Rome, where it was printed in Latin by Stephan Plannck.
Where did Christopher Columbus settle?
He left thirty-nine men to build a settlement called La Navidad in present-day Haiti.
What did Columbus say about the natives?
Writing that the natives are "fearful and timid . . . guileless and honest," Columbus declares that the land could easily be conquered by Spain, and the natives "might become Christians and inclined to love our King and Queen and Princes and all the people of Spain.".
What did Columbus describe the Natives he first encountered as?
Columbus described the Natives he first encountered as “timid and full of fear.” Why did he then capture some Natives and bring them aboard his ships?
What was the name of the island that Columbus landed on?
On October 12, more than two months later, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas that he called San Salvador; the natives called it Guanahani. Christopher Columbus’s letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, 1493.
How many Native Americans did Columbus kidnap?
He also kidnapped several Native Americans (between ten and twenty-five) to take back to Spain—only eight survived. Columbus brought back small amounts of gold as well as native birds and plants to show the richness of the continent he believed to be Asia.
Who wrote the letter to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella?
When Columbus arrived back in Spain on March 15, 1493, he immediately wrote a letter announcing his discoveries to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who had helped finance his trip. The letter was written in Spanish and sent to Rome, where it was printed in Latin by Stephan Plannck. Plannck mistakenly left Queen Isabella’s name out of the pamphlet’s introduction but quickly realized his error and reprinted the pamphlet a few days later. The copy shown here is the second, corrected edition of the pamphlet.
What was the Spanish colony of the Americas?
e. The Spanish colonization of the Americas began under the Crown of Castile, and was spearheaded by the Spanish conquistadors. The Americas were invaded and incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, British America, and some small regions in South America and the Caribbean. The crown created civil and religious structures ...
When did the Spanish settle Chile?
The Spanish did establish the settlement of Chile in 1541, founded by Pedro de Valdivia. Southward colonization by the Spanish in Chile halted after the conquest of Chiloé Archipelago in 1567.
What was the Spanish expansion?
The Spanish expansion has sometimes been succinctly summed up as "gold, glory, God." The search for material wealth, the enhancement of the conquerors' and the crown's position, and the expansion of Christianity. In the extension of Spanish sovereignty to its overseas territories, authority for expeditions ( entradas) of discovery, conquest, and settlement resided in the monarchy. Expeditions required authorization by the crown, which laid out the terms of such expedition. Virtually all expeditions after the Columbus voyages, which were funded by the crown of Castile, were done at the expense of the leader of the expedition and its participants. Although often the participants, conquistadors, are now termed “soldiers”, they were not paid soldiers in ranks of an army, but rather soldiers of fortune, who joined an expedition with the expectation of profiting from it. The leader of an expedition, the adelantado was a senior with material wealth and standing who could persuade the crown to issue him a license for an expedition. He also had to attract participants to the expedition who staked their own lives and meager fortunes on the expectation of the expedition’s success. The leader of the expedition pledged the larger share of capital to the enterprise, which in many ways functioned as a commercial firm. Upon the success of the expedition, the spoils of war were divvied up in proportion to the amount a participant initially staked, with the leader receiving the largest share. Participants supplied their own armor and weapons, and those who had a horse received two shares, one for himself, the second recognizing the value of the horse as a machine of war. For the conquest era, two names of Spaniards are generally known because they led the conquests of high indigenous civilizations, Hernán Cortés, leader of the expedition that conquered the Aztecs of Central Mexico, and Francisco Pizarro, leader of the conquest of the Inca in Peru.
What was the result of the Spanish American wars of independence?
In the early 19th century, the Spanish American wars of independence resulted in the secession and subsequent division of most Spanish territories in the Americas, except for Cuba and Puerto Rico, which were lost to the United States in 1898, following the Spanish–American War.
What was the Spanish empire's territory?
Beginning with the 1492 arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Caribbean and gaining control over more territory for over three centuries, the Spanish Empire would expand across the Caribbean Islands, half of South America, most of Central America and much of North America.
Why did the Jesuits resist the Crown?
The Jesuits resisted crown control, refusing to pay the tithe on their estates that supported the ecclesiastical hierarchy and came into conflict with bishops. The most prominent example is in Puebla, Mexico, when Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza was driven from his bishopric by the Jesuits. The bishop challenged the Jesuits' continuing to hold Indian parishes and function as priests without the required royal licenses. His fall from power is viewed as an example of the weakening of the crown in the mid-seventeenth century since it failed to protect their duly appointed bishop. The crown expelled the Jesuits from Spain and The Indies in 1767 during the Bourbon Reforms .
Where was the debate held in the Spanish colony of Valladolid?
Held in the Colegio de San Gregorio, in the Spanish city of Valladolid, it was a moral and theological debate about the colonization of the Americas, its justification for the conversion to Catholicism and more specifically about the relations between the European settlers and the natives of the New World.
What were the first 3 Spanish settlements?
The first Spanish missions were established in the 1680s near present-day San Angelo, El Paso and Presidio – areas that were closely tied to settlements in what is today New Mexico.
What was the first Spanish settlement in Texas?
The first Spanish-speaking settlers established a mission and presidio (fort) around the San Antonio River in 1718. The first settlement, called the Villa de Bexar, was little more than civilian housing for families of soldiers stationed at the presidio.
What was the first Spanish settlement in the New World?
In 1493, during his second voyage, Columbus founded Isabela, the first permanent Spanish settlement in the New World, on Hispaniola. After finding gold in recoverable quantities nearby, the Spanish quickly overran the island and spread to Puerto Rico in 1508, to Jamaica in 1509, and to Cuba in 1511. The natives fared badly. Many died in one-sided armed conflict with soldiers and settlers, or in forced servitude in mines and on plantations. Others died of diseases to which they had no immunity. By mid-century, the native Ciboney of Hispaniola and western Cuba were extinct, and other tribes, including the Arawak of Puerto Rico, were nearly so.
How did the Spanish colonial expansion affect the English colonial policies?
However, Spanish colonial expansion and seemingly unending sources of wealth in the New World profoundly affected English colonial policies. Drake pillaged the Caribbean in 1585-1586, broke the Bank of Spain; nearly broke the Bank of Venice, to which Spain was heavily indebted; and ruined Spanish credit.
What tribes were extinct in the early 1500s?
Others died of diseases to which they had no immunity. By mid-century, the native Ciboney of Hispaniola and western Cuba were extinct, and other tribes, including the Arawak of Puerto Rico, were nearly so. Beginning in 1508, Spanish settlements sprang up on the mainland of Central and South America.
How many outposts did Menendez establish?
In due course he founded ten outposts in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina (1565-1567); ordered exploration of the North Carolina and Virginia coasts (1570); and personally avenged (1572) the Jesuits' murder by Indians. Menendez, a strong supporter of colonization, was nearly alone in his enthusiasm for the region.
What did Spain do in 1550?
By 1550 Spain had dominion over the West Indies and Central America and its large surviving native population. New World mines yielded gold and silver for Spain in far greater amounts than France and Portugal had ever been able to extract from West Africa. One-fifth of the total production, the quinto real, went to the Spanish Crown.
Why did Spain annexe Portugal?
In 1580, to eliminate the threat of Portuguese expansion, Spa in annexed Portugal. Although Spain mortgaged Venezuela to a German banking house for a brief period (1528-1547), she was successful in keeping most interlopers out of her holdings from Mexico to Chile for the remainder of the sixteenth century.
What was Spain's goal in 1559?
Expecting a French challenge in North America, Spain sent a large contingent (1559-1561) to secure a settlement site on the Gulf and an overland route thence to the coast of Georgia or South Carolina.
What did Columbus find in Spain?
When he first returned to Spain, Columbus presented the Spanish monarchy with the little gold he found, as well as tobacco plants, turkeys, aji peppers and hammocks -- items that were foreign to the Spaniards. Future travels to the New World by Columbus and explorers that followed led to the discovery of more gold, other precious metals, ...
Where did Columbus settle?
In 1492, Columbus founded the settlement of La Navidad in present-day Haiti, and landed at what is now the Dominican Republic, part of the land that Columbus called Hispaniola. The explorer was the first in Europe to colonize territories in the New World, and he did so on behalf of the Spanish monarchy. Later Columbus established La Isabella and ...
Why did Isabella and Ferdinand sponsor Columbus?
Isabella was interested in strengthening Spanish commercial prospects overseas, so she and Ferdinand agreed to sponsor Columbus’ new route to Asia across the Atlantic Ocean after the Portuguese and British denied his request, according to the History website. In 1492, Columbus founded the settlement of La Navidad in present-day Haiti, and landed at what is now the Dominican Republic, part of the land that Columbus called Hispaniola. The explorer was the first in Europe to colonize territories in the New World, and he did so on behalf of the Spanish monarchy. Later Columbus established La Isabella and other settlements in Hispaniola, and Spain began conquering new regions on the American continents, according to the Library of Congress.
What were the materials that Columbus and the Spanish monarchy sought from the far-flung travels?
Brought Material Goods. The material riches that Columbus and the Spanish monarchy sought from the far-flung travels included gold, gems, spices and fine materials, such as silk. The first places that Columbus found gold was at the Las Isabella settlement, and further inland in present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Why did Ferdinand and Isabella direct Columbus and his crew to maintain friendly relations with the indigenous people they encountered?
Ferdinand and Isabella directed Columbus and his crew to maintain friendly relations with the indigenous people they encountered in hopes of converting the natives and securing trade agreements. While many of the native populations decreased when the Spanish arrived, the efforts to convert the indigenous residents largely succeeded.
How did Columbus change the way people of his time saw the world?
Columbus changed the way that people of his time saw the world when he decided to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean and accidentally landed in San Salvador, thinking it was Asia. Consequently, the explorer’s travels brought riches to the Spanish monarchy that were ultimately more valuable than gold.
What did Christopher Columbus do for the Spanish monarchy?
What Did Columbus Do for the Spanish Monarchy? While Italian explorer Christopher Columbus wasn’t the first to reach the Americas, his voyages were the first to establish contacts between Europe and the New World. Columbus changed the way that people of his time saw the world when he decided to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean ...
What did Columbus find on his return to Spain?
There Columbus found at least enough gold and prosperity to save him from ridicule on his return to Spain. With the help of a Taino cacique, or Indian chief, named Guacanagarí, he set up a stockade on the northern coast of the island, named it La Navidad, and posted 39 men to guard it until his return.
When did Columbus leave Spain?
On January 16, 1493, Columbus left with his remaining two ships for Spain. The journey back was a nightmare. The westerlies did indeed direct them homeward, but in mid-February a terrible storm engulfed the fleet.
What island did Columbus sail to?
Adverse winds carried the fleet to an island called Ayti ( Haiti) by its Taino inhabitants; on December 6 Columbus renamed it La Isla Española, or Hispaniola. He seems to have thought that Hispaniola might be Cipango or, if not Cipango, then perhaps one of the legendarily rich isles from which King Solomon ’s triennial fleet brought back gold, gems, and spices to Jerusalem (1 Kings 10:11, 22); alternatively, he reasoned that the island could be related to the biblical kingdom of Sheba ( Sabaʾ ). There Columbus found at least enough gold and prosperity to save him from ridicule on his return to Spain. With the help of a Taino cacique, or Indian chief, named Guacanagarí, he set up a stockade on the northern coast of the island, named it La Navidad, and posted 39 men to guard it until his return. The accidental running aground of the Santa María on December 25, 1492, provided additional planks and provisions for the garrison.
What happened to Columbus after he was freed?
After securing their freedom Columbus sailed on, stormbound, and the damaged ship limped to port in Lisbon. There he was obliged to interview with King John II. These events left Columbus under the suspicion of collaborating with Spain’s enemies and cast a shadow on his return to Palos on March 15. On this first voyage many tensions built up ...
What were the westerlies prevailing in the Azores?
The westerlies prevailing in the Azores had defeated previous attempts to sail to the west, but in the Canaries the three ships could pick up the northeast trade winds; supposedly, they could trust to the westerlies for their return.
What was Columbus determined to do?
Moreover, Columbus was determined to take back both material and human cargo to his sovereigns and for himself, and this could be accomplished only if his sailors carried on looting, kidnapping, and other violent acts, especially on Hispaniola.
Where did the Pinta sail from?
Captain Martín Pinzón had disputed the route as the fleet reached the Bahamas; he had later sailed the Pinta away from Cuba, and Columbus, on November 21, failing to rejoin him until January 6. The Pinta made port at Bayona on its homeward journey, separately from Columbus and the Niña.

Overview
Imperial expansion
The expansion of Spain’s territory took place under the Catholic Monarchs Isabella of Castile, Queen of Castile and her husband King Ferdinand, King of Aragon, whose marriage marked the beginning of Spanish power beyond the Iberian peninsula. They pursued a policy of joint rule of their kingdoms and created the initial stage of a single Spanish monarchy, completed under the eig…
Civil governance
The empire in the Indies was a newly established dependency of the kingdom of Castile alone, so crown power was not impeded by any existing cortes (i.e. parliament), administrative or ecclesiastical institution, or seigneurial group. The crown sought to establish and maintain control over its overseas possessions through a complex, hierarchical bureaucracy, which in many ways was decentr…
Catholic Church organization
During the early colonial period, the crown authorized friars of Catholic religious orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, and Augustinians) to function as priests during the conversion of indigenous populations. During the early Age of Discovery, the diocesan clergy in Spain was poorly educated and considered of a low moral standing, and the Catholic Monarchs were reluctant to allow them to spearhea…
Society
It has been estimated that over 1.86 million Spaniards emigrated to Latin America in the period between 1492 and 1824, with millions more continuing to immigrate following independence.
Native populations declined significantly during the period of Spanish expansion. In Hispaniola, the indigenous Taíno pre-contact population before t…
Economy
In areas of dense, stratified indigenous populations, especially Mesoamerica and the Andean region, Spanish conquerors awarded perpetual private grants of labor and tribute to particular indigenous settlements, in encomienda they were in a privileged position to accumulate private wealth. Spaniards had some knowledge of the existing indigenous practices of labor and tribute, so that lea…
19th century
During the Napoleonic Peninsular War in Europe between France and Spain, assemblies called juntas were established to rule in the name of Ferdinand VII of Spain. The Libertadores (Spanish and Portuguese for "Liberators") were the principal leaders of the Spanish American wars of independence. They were predominantly criollos (Americas-born people of European ancestry, mostly Spanish or Portuguese), bourgeois and influenced by liberalism and in some cases with mi…
In popular culture
In the twentieth century, there have been a number of films depicting the life of Christopher Columbus. One in 1949 stars Frederic March as Columbus. With the 1992 commemoration (and critique) of Columbus, more cinematic and television depictions of the era appeared, including a TV miniseries with Gabriel Byrne as Columbus. Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) has Georges Corroface as Columbus with Marlon Brando as Tomás de Torquemada and Tom Selleck a…