- Name: Christopher Columbus
- Profession: Maritime Explorer and Navigator
- Born: Between August 25th and October 31st, 1451 in Genoa, Republic of Genoa
- Died: May 20th, 1506 in Valladolid, Castile
- Resting Place: The Seville Cathedral, Seville, Spain, Europe
- Legacy: Started the European exploration and colonization of the Americas
24 Christopher Columbus Facts for Kids
- Christopher Columbus was a maritime explorer and navigator.
- Christopher Columbus is most famous for paving the way for the European exploration and colonization of North America and South America.
- Christopher Columbus was born sometime between August 25th and October 31st in 1451 in Genoa, Republic of Genoa.
- Christopher Columbus was the son of Domenico Colombo and Susanna Fontanarossa.
- Christopher Columbus has two brothers (Giovanni Pellegrino Giacomo and Bartholomew Columbus) and one sister (Bianchinetta Columbus).
- Christopher Columbus died at the age of 54 on May 20th, 1506 in Valladolid, Castile.
- Christopher Columbus is believed to have died either from gout or reactive arthritis.
- Christopher Columbus made four voyages to the Americas between 1492 and 1504.
- The first voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus was between 1492 and 1493.
- The first voyage by Christopher Columbus comprised of three ships and they were known as the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. However, historians have discovered these ships had alternate or various names.
- The first voyage by Christopher Columbus was to find a shortcut to China by sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.
- Christopher Columbus first reached land during his first voyage on October 12th, 1942. The land that he reached was an island in the Bahamas now known as San Salvador.
- The second voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus was between 1943 and 1496.
- During Christopher Columbus’s second voyage he explored more of the Caribbean region, Jamaica and Hispaniola.
- The third voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus was between 1498 and 1500.
- During Christopher Columbus’s third voyage he made his first explorations of South America.
- The fourth and final voyage to the Americas by Christopher Columbus was between 1502 and 1504.
- During Christopher Columbus’s fourth and final voyage he made his first explorations of Central America.
- Christopher Columbus was not the first European to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reach the Americas. Historians believe Norse explorer Leif Erikson landed in present-day Newfoundland around 1,000 CE. Erikson landed in the Americas about 500 years before Columbus.
- Christopher Columbus never actually landed on the mainland of North America. He did land in the Caribbean region of North America, Central America and South America.
- Italian navigator and explorer Giovanni Caboto was the first European to reach the mainland of North America in 1497. He landed in present-day Newfoundland just like Norse explorer Leif Erikson did around 1,000 CE.
- Columbus Day is a national holiday in the United States and is celebrated on the 2nd Monday of October.
- Some U.S. states do not recognize Columbus Day and have replaced it with Indigenous People’s Day.
- A common myth about Christopher Columbus is he proved the Earth wasn’t flat. During the time of Christopher Columbus, it was widely believed the Earth had a spherical type shape. What was in doubt was the size and actual shape of Earth.
Pictures of Christopher Columbus
A picture of the tomb of Christopher Columbus in the Seville Cathedral in Spain.
A picture of the Christopher Columbus Monument in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
A 3D illustrative of Christopher Columbus’s ships. Marie, Pinta and Santa Maria.
Additional Resources on Christopher Columbus
- About Christopher Columbus – Find more information on Christopher Columbus on the Library of Congress website.
- Biography of Christopher Columbus – Read the biography of Christopher Columbus on the Biography website.
- Controversy of Columbus Day – Learn why the holiday known as Columbus Day is a controversy on the History Channel website.
- Christopher Columbus – Britannica – Discover more facts and information about Christopher Columbus on the Britannica website.