Publisher's Synopsis
This book, which is part of a series on famous journeys of exploration tells of the explorations of Christopher Columbus, an Italian who desperately sought the sponsorship of the King and Queen of Spain to enable him to find a viable sea-route to Asia by sailing west.;It was this first voyage, begun in August 1492, that led him to chance upon what he thought was part of Asia, but was in fact the island fringe of America, where he later found a colony. Columbus undertook several further voyages which are also described here and set in their historical and geographical context. Although focusing on the voyages themselves and describing the vessels used, the routes taken and the hazards encountered as well as the strange finds which he made, the author also describes the social climate of the day and explains the errors in Columbus's navigation and the effects of his achievement which led to an entirely new attitude to travel and world geography.;The author has also written "The Race to the South Pole" and contributed to the "Great Disasters" and "Myths and Legends" series.
