1.  a) What do you know from your American History textbooks about Christopher Columbus’ motive for his voyages?
b)  How does that contrast with what Columbus himself wrote?

2.  Which academic subjects did Columbus study?

3.  Which of the following words do you not associate with Christopher Columbus:  adventurer, discoverer, explorer, Christian, sailor.  Why is this so?

4.  What most surprises you about the excerpt from Columbus’ book?  Why?

5.  Columbus wrote a letter in 1493 to King Ferdinand’s treasurer reporting on his voyage.  Read  Columbus’ letter to King Ferdinand’s treasurer reporting on his voyage.
Re-read paragraph 8 of the letter which begins “Yet when they perceive that they are safe…”  Does Columbus’ report differ from what you have learned in your history textbooks?  Explain your answer.

6.  What have you discovered about Christopher Columbus (from the excerpt of his book, his letter to the treasurer, or from the links in “Resources” below) that you didn’t already know?

DID YOU KNOW? … A number of places, mostly in the Western Hemisphere, have been named after Christopher Columbus.
Places named after Christopher Columbus include the South American country Colombia, Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia) and Columbia, S.C. Several states in the United States, including Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi and New York have cities named after Columbus. The Columbia River was also named after Christopher Columbus, as was Columbia University in New York City.