In 1492, Christopher Columbus embarked on a historic voyage across the Atlantic Ocean with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451, Columbus was driven by the ambition to find a new route to Asia.
• In his original calculations, he thought that Asia would be 2,400 miles from Portugal. He was way off. It is actually 10,000 miles away! Not to mention the huge continent in between.
The winner was Rodrigo de Triana who spotted land from the crow's nest of the Pinta.
• Columbus brought horses to the new world on his second voyage.
Three Ships and a Long Voyage
He set sail on August 3, 1492 with three ships named the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
Biography
Before the Voyage Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451.
More Voyages
He died thinking he had discovered a shortcut to Asia across the Atlantic Ocean.