Children in the United States learn that Christopher Columbus (1) ______________________ , but since there were already millions of people (2)____________________________ when he arrived, what is Columbus's real importance in history? This video will show what really happened during his voyages between two worlds and how they helped (3) ____________________________ . In 1451, Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa. There he began his (4) ___________ , but in 1477 he was hired as (5) ______________ for King John II of Portugal. Portugal was gaining power on the seas, (6) _________________ and (7) ______________________________ . By the 1480s, they found out (8) ___________ was on the other side of Africa. This discovery gave them (9) ______________ to the rich goods of Asia. During Portugal's rise in power, a group of European scholars thought (10) ____________________________________ . This meant one could reach Asia (11) ______________ . Because of (12) ________________________ , Columbus read about these recent theories and was enthralled with the idea of sailing west for (13) _____ . He tried to (14) ___________________ from Portugal , but King John didn't believe in the small E arth theory. He then tried in France, England , and Spain with no luck until 1492 when the Spanish sovereigns Ferdinand and Isabella decided to help fund (15) ________________________ . They saw Columbus as a means to (16) ________________________________________ . The Nina, Pinta , and Santa Maria set sail on August 3 , 1492. After a stop on Grand Canary, the rest of the trip took five weeks. On October 12th, (17) ______________ . It was an island and at dawn Columbus (18) _______________ . Because he believed in the small earth theory , Columbus thought (19) ______________________ . He called the natives of this island Indians because (20) ________________________________________________ , but the natives were really called the Taino. Trade began between the two parties , but it was clear that the Taino did not possess (21) _____________ of East Asia. However, some of them (22) _______________ . Columbus was hungry for gold to bring back to Spain. He wandered around searching for (23) ____________ until the Santa Maria (24) _________________ on Hispaniola. Columbus left 39 men at the site to (25) __________ . He promised (26) ______________ and sailed back to Spain.