History of the discovery of the “New World”. Photo: LR/ABC composite
Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the Americas with his three ships – Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina is full of fascinating stories told to this day. The voyage lasted 58 days and marked the beginning of the connection between Europe and the American continent. On the night of October 11-12, 1492, aboard the caravel La Pinta called “Land!” heard the famous cry. The announcement marked a milestone in history: they had arrived at Guanahani Island in the present-day archipelago of the Bahamas.
This momentous moment marked the discovery of what would later be known ‘The New World’. However, Columbus was not the first to see America, and not 3 caravels as had been reported for years.
Christopher Columbus with his entire crew. Photo: AD
Who was the first to see America?
Although Christopher Columbus Commanding the expedition was a leprous sailor Rodrigo de Triana, aboard the caravel La Pinta, was the first to land. On the night of October 11-12, 1492, two months and nine days passed from the port of Palos.
Christopher Columbus was not the first to see America. Photo: El Confidential
Rodrigo de Triana, whose real name was Juan Rodriguez Bermejo, was a sailor on his voyage with Christopher Columbus. The land became one of the islands of the Bahamas that Columbus named San Salvador.
3 The truth of caravels
The three ships that Columbus used on his first voyage ‘New World’ Not all of them are caravels The so-called Santa Maria is, in fact, a nao, a type of large ship owned by the cartographer Juan de la Cosa.
On the other hand, La Pinta and La Nina are both true caravels. La Nina’s original name was Santa Clara, but she was called that because of her owner, Juan Niño. These three ships reflect the diversity of ships of their time and were essential in a historic voyage that changed the course of history.
Ships of Columbus
The trip took longer than expected.
The journey took off Ports of sticks on August 3 of that year with the aim of finding a new route to travel westward from Asia. However, the voyage lasted two months and nine days, significantly longer than expected, which created tension among the sailors.
Despite these challenges, they finally landed on October 12. Columbus is known to have lied to his crew to keep quiet, and one of the ways to do this was to keep two different records of the distance traveled: one true and one reduced.
Christopher Columbus arrived in America on October 12, 1492. Photo: Our Story
Where was Cristobal Colon born?
The exact origin of Christopher Columbus is subject to debate, but the most accepted theory is that he was born in 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, which is now part of Italy. His Italian name was Cristoforo Colombo, and he is said to have come from a family of merchants.
From an early age, Columbus was interested in the sea and learning about navigation. Some accounts suggest that he began working as a sailor at an early age, with experience in Mediterranean navigation and maritime trade. In his youth, Columbus developed a knowledge of cartography, geography, and languages ​​that allowed him to refine his understanding of the known world.
Columbus was the third son of Florentine notary Nastaggio Vespucci and Lisa di Giovanni Mini. Photo: El Español
Although there are not many detailed records of his life in Genoa, it is known that he traveled elsewhere in his late teens in search of opportunities in navigation and commerce. He then traveled to Portugal and Spain, where he formed a vision for his expedition to find a new route to the Indies by sailing westward.
