Christopher Columbus is the greatest explorer of all time. This extraordinary man was an Italian navigator who is described by many as the "greatest mariner in history."" He was seen as a visionary genius, a mystic, a national hero, a failed administrator, a nave entrepreneur, and a ruthless and greedy imperialist. Christopher was one of the few that was convinced that the Earth was not flat, but round. He also knew he could find a different passage to the East Indies. But what Christopher didn't know was that his journey to the Indies would help him discover a new world. He also didn't know that this journey would take 12 years in 4 different voyages for him to find out he discovered America.
Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy. The birth date is not certain, but he was born between August and October. His parents were Domenico Colombo and Suzanna Fontanarossa. Christopher's father was a wool weaver and involved in local politics. His mother was the daughter of a wool weaver and was a homemaker. He had 4 siblings, three brothers and a sister. Christopher was the eldest of the five children. His brothers were Bartolomeo, Giovanni Pellegrino, Giacomo, and his sister was Bianchinetta. There is no information on how much formal education Christopher had as a child because during this time Italian craft guilds only offered elementary levels of reading and writing. As a young boy Christopher joined his father in the family business. He might have worked as a clerk in a bookshop with his brother Bartolomeo as well. .
At the early age of 14, Columbus started a career in the sea. Like any new apprentice, Columbus started as a messenger and worked his way up. In 1472, Columbus made his way on his first commanding trip to Tunis, as a sea merchant, to help sell goods to the Genoese Allies. This trip gave him economic independence from his family. In 1477 Columbus moved to Lisbon with his brother Bartolomeo, who was a mapmaker and studied geography.
