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1、 ChristopherColumbusColumbus(1451-1506)|Columbuswasbornbefore31October|1451inGenoa(热那亚,partofmodernItaly.HisfatherwasDomenic_Colombo,amiddle-classwoolweaver1whoworkedbothinGenoaandSavona(萨沃纳,Italy)andwhoalsoownedacheesestandatwhichyoungChristopherworkedasahelperChristophersmotherwasSusannaGiovanniPe
2、llegrino,andGiacomowerehisbrothers,HealsohadasisternamedBianchinettaColumbuswasafaithfulsupportorofthetheorythattheearthisroundratherthanflat.Europeanshadlongenjoyedasafelandpassage,theso-called“SilkRoad“toChinaandIndia,whichweresourcesofvaluablegoodssuchassilk,spices,andopiates.WiththefallofConstan
3、tinopletotheOttomanTurksin1453,thelandroutetoAsiabecamemuchmoredifficultanddangerous.Portuguesenavigators,undertheleadershipofKingJohnII,soughttoreachAsiabysailingaroundAfrica.Majorprogressinthisquestwasachievedin1488,whenBartolomeuDiasreachedtheCapeofGoodHope,inwhatisnowSouthAfrica.SothePortuguesen
4、avigatordiscoverdanewsearoutetoChinaandIndiaHoweverColumbusthoughtdiffferent,heinsistedthatastheearthisround.YoucangettotheeastbysailingwWestward.In1485,ColumbuspresentedhisplanstoJohnII,KingofPortugal.HeproposedthattheKingequipthreesturdyshipsandgrantColumbusoneyearsimetosailsubmittedColumbusspropo
5、saltohisexperts,whorejectedit.ItwastheirconsideredopinionthatColumbussestimationofatraveldistanceof2,400miles(3,860km)was,infact,fartoolowIn1488ColumbusappealedtothecourtofPortugalonceagain,andonceagain,Butallfailed.because,ashasbeenmentionedabove,PortuguesenavigatordiscoverdanewsearoutetoChinaandIn
6、diain1488,theydontneedtowastemoneytoexporeaWaythatisnearlyimpossiple.ColumbusestimatedthedistancefromtheCanaryIslandstoJapantobeabout3000Italianmiles(3,700km,or2,300statutemiles),whilethecorrectfigureis19,600km(12,200mi),orabout12,000kmalongagreatcircle.Noshipinthe15thcenturycouldcarryenoughfoodandf
7、reshwaterforsuchalongvoyage,andthedangersinvolvedinnavigatingthroughtheunchartedoceanwouldhavebeenformidable.MostEuropeannavigatorsreasonablyconcludedthataWestwardvoyagefromEuropetoAsiaWasunfeasible.FinallyheturnedtothekingofSpain,whoknewlittleaboutgeography.AndthenewroutewascontroledbyPortugalsothe
8、KingofSpainwaseagerforanewwaytoChinaandIndia.SoAftercontinuallylobbyingattheSpanishcourtandtwoyearsofnegotiations,hefinallyhadsuccessin1492.SoColumbusbeganhisvoyages.Between1492and1503,Columbuscompletedfourround-tripvoyagesbetweenSpainandtheAmericas,allofthemunderthesponsorshipoftheCrownofCastile.Th
9、esevoyagesmarkedthebeginningoftheEuropeanexplorationandcolonizationoftheAmericancontinents,andarethusofenormoussignificanceinWesternhistory.ColumbusalWaysinsisted,inthefaceofmountingevidencetothecontrary;thatthelandsthathevisitedduringthosevoyageswerepartoftheAsiancontinent,aspreviouslydescribedbyMarcoPoloandotherEuropeantravelers“Firstvoyage
