In the 1480s, the Portuguese tried to circumnavigate Africa to penetrate India through the Indian Ocean. Columbus suggested that Asia can be reached by moving west across the Atlantic Ocean. His assumption was founded on the doctrine of the sphericity of the planet and incorrect scientists’ calculations. They considered the globe much smaller in size, and also underestimated the real extent of the Atlantic Ocean from west to east. This paper aims to provide a brief review of the great discovery, founding on the Journal of Christopher Columbus.
It should be mentioned that several academicians do not accept the term “discovery” when it comes to Columbus’ voyage to America. They suggest another term – “invention” – given the fact that Columbus did not aim to discover this continent, and what is called the American way of living, frugality, and customs was invented further (O’Gorman 10; Dussel 30). However, Baumgartner assumes that despite this argument is “original in conception, clear in presentation, though not executed with precision” (466). It is clear that the world community percepts Columbus’ trip as one that discovered America.
Columbus’ flotilla left the Spanish port of Palos on August 3, 1492; on August 9, it approached the Canary Islands. After repairs on the island of Homer, the ships – on September 6 – heading west, began crossing the Atlantic Ocean; the journey took place calmly with favorable winds. On September 16, the vessels entered the Sargasso Sea, and Columbus “began to notice many tufts of green grass, and, as could be judged by its appearance, this grass was only recently torn off the ground” (Columbus 21). He sailed through this particular area of water for most of his journey to the Bahamas.
Having passed the Sargasso Sea, Columbus changed course on October 7, and the ships turned to the southwest. On October 12, 1492, the land was discovered aboard the Pinta; the Spaniards reached the islands of the Bahamas archipelago – the first land they met in the Western Hemisphere (Columbus 30). This day is considered the official date of the discovery of America. He named the island San Salvador, and its inhabitants – Indians, believing that it was off the coast of India.
Later, Columbus lost one of his ships, but the crew escaped. On February 24, Niña left the Azores; two days later, it fell into a storm that on March 4, brought it ashore in Portugal (Columbus 151). On March 9, Niña dropped anchor in the port of Lisbon. The crew needed a break, and the ship needed repairs. King João II gave Columbus an audience, at which the latter informed the King of the discovery of the western route to India (Flint). According to Columbus, on March 13, Niña was able to sail to Spain (154). On March 15, 1493, on the 225th day of sailing, the ships returned to the Spanish port of Palos.
To conclude, during the first voyage, Columbus discovered America, which he took for East Asia and called the West Indies. Europeans first set foot on the islands of the Caribbean Sea – Cuba and Haiti. As a result of the expedition, the width of the Atlantic Ocean was reliably known, and the Sargasso Sea was discovered. Moreover, the flow of ocean water from west to east was explored, and the incomprehensible behavior of the magnetic compass needle was noted for the first time.
Works Cited
Bumgartner, Louis E. “Review.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 19, no. 3, 1962, pp. 464–466.
Columbus, Christopher. Los Cuatro Viajes del Almirante y su Testamento. Biblioteca Virtual Universal, 2006. Web.
Dussel, Enrique. The Invention of the Americas. Continuum, 1995.
Flint, Valerie. “Christopher Columbus.” Britannica, Web.
O’Gorman, Edmund. La Invención de América. UNIBA, 1958. Web.