In 1492 the Spanish seafarer Christopher Columbus the first of the famous European travelers reached coast of America and made discovery of the whole new continent, itself without suspecting about it. Further he made three more expeditions during which he explored the Bahama, Small and Big Antilles, Trinidad and other lands.
Preparation for a travel
For the first time the idea to cross the Atlantic Ocean to find a direct and fast way to India, presumably visited Columbus in 1474 as a result of correspondence with the Italian geographer Toskanelli. The seafarer made necessary calculations and decided that it will be simplest to float through the Canary Islands. He believed that from them to Japan only about five thousand kilometers, and from the Land of the rising sun it is possible to find a way to India.
But Columbus could execute the dream only in several years, he tried to interest the Spanish monarchs in this action more than once, but its requirements recognized as excessive and expensive. And only in 1492 the queen Isabella agreed to a travel and promised to make Columbus the admiral and the viceroy of all open lands though she money for swimming did not offer. The seafarer was poor, but his colleague, the Spanish shipowner Pinson gave the Hristoforu ships.
Discovery of America
Three vessels – well-known Ninya, "Santa Maria" and "Pint" participated in the first expedition which began in August, 1492. In October Columbus reached the earth and was put ashore, it was the island called by it San Salvador. Is sure that it is a poor part of China or any other undeveloped lands, Columbus, nevertheless, was surprised a set of things unknown to it – he for the first time saw tobacco, cotton clothes, hammocks. Local Indians told about existence of the island of Cuba in the south, and Columbus moved off in his searches. During the expedition were discovered Haiti and Tortuga. These lands were announced by the property of the Spanish monarchs, and to Haiti the fort La-Navidad was created. The seafarer went back together with unknown plants and animals, gold and group of natives whom Europeans nicknamed Indians as nobody suspected about opening of the New World yet. All found lands were considered as a part of Asia. During the second expedition the archipelago of Hardines-de-la-Reina, the Isle of Pines, Cuba were surveyed Haiti. For the third time Columbus found the island of Trinidad, found the mouth of the Orinoco River and the island of Margarita. The fourth swimming allowed to explore coast of Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua. The way to India was not found, but South America was peddled. Columbus at last realized that south of Cuba the whole continent – a barrier on the way to rich Asia lies. The Spanish seafarer laid the foundation for researches of the New World.