953 nut 67,569 #1 Posted 2 hours ago August 3, 1492 Christopher Columbus, with Juan de la Cosa as second-in-command, sets sail on his first voyage with three ships: Santa María, Pinta, and Niña from Palos de la Frontera, Spain, for the "Indies". 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 12,542 #2 Posted 1 hour ago "I think it's just up a bit to the left...... boy, it's cold this time of year for the Indies!" 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 67,569 #3 Posted 1 hour ago Columbus was seeking a direct ocean shortcut to the rich spice and gold markets of Asia. He relied on inacurate calculations and thought the Earth was much smaller, believing Japan was only about 3,000 miles west of Europe. When he reached the Caribbean, he mistook the places he found for Asian locations. He thought Cuba was the mainland of China and that Hispaniola was Japan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
