Christopher Columbus Adventurous Soul

Christoforo Colombo, or Christopher Columbus, who was born in Genoa in 1451, is perhaps the most famous of all explorers. Although no portraits were made of him, Columbus was described as being tall with red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. Christopher Columbus’ adventurous spirit, determined character, and Christian faith fueled his desire to explore, which led him to discover America.
The flame that started the fire was Christopher’s adventurous spirit. Even as a young boy growing up in Genoa, Christopher knew that he wanted to be a sailor. Dreaming, he watched the ships go by in admiration. Fortunately for him, Genoa was one of the most powerful trading centers on the Mediterranean Sea (Dodge, 1991, pp. 25-27). Reflecting back, Columbus called Genoa, “That noble and powerful city on the sea.” (Dodge, 1991, p. 25). Often as he became older, Columbus would sail the seas with his father. Amazingly, before he was even a teenager, Columbus delivered goods up and down the coastline of Italy. In fact, at age thirteen, Christopher left home to be a sailor. As a young man, he became a ship’s captain (D’Aulaire, 1983, pp. 8,10). Pushed by his adventurous spirit, Columbus set sail on an armed galley for the first time in 1469, at the young age of 18 (Foster, 1965, p. 76). Although obviously, Columbus had already led a very busy life, he

As William H. Goetzmann wrote, “ We also get a glimpse of that mysterious and inextinguishable fire that burned in the breast of men such as Magellan and Columbus-- the fire that has propelled all those throughout the ages who have been driven to leave behind family and friends for a voyage into the unknown” (Dodge, 1991, p. 10). This famous explorer was well known in his time, but perhaps is more widely known today, and is perhaps the most recognizable explorer that ever