What Ship Did Christopher Columbus Discover America On?

What Ship Did Christopher Columbus Discover America On - Merchant Navy Info - Blog

Christopher Columbus may have discovered America, but his santa maria ship deserves immediate recognition. However, despite decades of intensive research by archaeologists, the three ships used in his first expedition remain undiscovered. At a time when ships were the only fastest means of transportation to travel the world. Christopher Columbus’ ship revolutionized the entire concept of sea travel. They are remembered in American popular culture, and also generations of schoolchildren have grown up learning about them. 

When Christopher Columbus set sail from a Spain in the 15th century. He received significant support from his three ships and also their crews, now known as the Christopher Columbus Ships. With this help, Christopher Columbus finally succeeded in discovering America. And also putting the presence of a powerful nation on the world map. Columbus began his voyage from Palos de la Frontera in Spain, where he led his three-ship flotilla on August 3, 1492. After he discovered America, the Spanish crown gave him 17 ships to colonize the island of Hispaniola.

Christopher Columbus’ ships

santa maria ship, Niña, and  Pinta are famous in modern times not only because they helped Christopher Columbus. Get to know the whole country but also because they gave a new feel to water transportation. These were his three ships that gained tremendous popularity and recognition. Performance and purpose become more important, especially today when water transportation is not as popular as it used to be.

Interestingly, at least two of these were nicknames given to the ship by the crew. And also were strictly based on everyday language. The original names were La Santa Clara, La Pinta and La Santa Gallega. The church did not like the ship’s nickname because it was based on the name of a prostitute. But they tell us about  other  events that happened during this time. Of the three ships, santa maria ship was a adventurer’s flagship. In other words, a flagship is like a leader. santa maria ship was, therefore, the leader of the three ships.

Santa Maria Ship

Santa maria ship was a cargo ship weighing approximately 200 to 600 tons. It had an overall length of approximately 18 meters, a keel length of 12 meters, a width of 6 meters, and a draft of 2 meters. Her crew consisted of approximately 52 people.  Santa Her Maria’s original name was La Her Gallega, and it was after the province of Galicia, where the ship was built. Nevertheless, Christopher Columbus changed the name of her ship to santa maria ship de la Maculate Concepcion, or simply santa maria ship. santa maria ship had a three main masts, each with a sail. These masts were called the main mast, foremast, and mizzen mast. While the ship had its good points, the main drawback was that her design prevented the santa maria ship from sailing in shallow water or near coral reefs, which was a handicap for the ship.

Columbus’ Logbook

According to Columbus’ logbook, the santa maria ship ran aground on a reef off the coast of Cap-Haitien, Haiti, on Christmas Eve 1492. Her hull was used in the construction of the fortified village of La Navidad but has not yet been found. Many archaeologists are searching for the ship in Ann’s Bay and other areas. However, two other  ships, Niña and Pinta, resolved the adverse situation posed by the flagship of  Christopher Columbus’s ship and helped him successfully complete his adventure. “Niña” means “girl” in Spanish,  and “pinta” refers to the over-the-top painting of Christopher Columbus’ third ship.

Niña And Pinta Were Caravels. 

Designed solely to compensate for the shortcomings of  shallow water and reef navigation faced by ships like the santa maria ship, caravels were light and easy to maneuver. You can also explore the coast of present-day Cuba or sail close to the coast of a Canary Islands. The Portuguese caravel also had triangular sails that hung at a 45 degree angle to her deck. The ship’s entourage, Niña and Pinta’s crew, numbered approximately 18 people.

Of all three of Christopher Columbus’ ships, the Pinta was the fastest, reaching a maximum speed of about 8 knots (about 200 miles) per day, while the santa maria ship was the fastest due to its size. It was late. The captain of the Pinta was Martín Alonso Pinzón, a resident of Andalusia. The Niña weighed approximately 50 to 60 tons, was approximately 15 meters long, had a keel length of 12 meters, was 5 meters wide, and had a depth of 2 meters. Her captain was  Vicente. Anes Pinson, Martin’s younger brother.

On The Other Hand

Pinta weighed approximately 70 tons and had an overall length of approximately 17 meters, a keel length of 13 meters, a width of 5 meters, and a depth of 2 meters. Inthe Niña and  Pinta rivers were given to Christopher Columbus by the Spanish royal family as a tax, as there was a provision that if the people committed evil acts against the Spanish royal family, they would be required to pay taxes as punishment. Additionally, four of Christopher Columbus’s ship’s crew were criminals who were offered pardons by the King of Spain rather than volunteering for the voyage. 

With the help of the Spanish royal family and Christopher Columbus,  three of his ships sailed to sea and discovered vast lands to the west. In an age when air travel has become commonplace and the exploration of the moon has become a daily achievement, the success of Christopher Columbus and his seafaring adventures is something that everyone in the world wants to know about. It’s a piece of history that you’ll want to know  about. I’m excited about it.

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