Columbus’ Discovery of the New World

Columbus’ discovery of the New World

Columbus’ discovery of the New World in the 1400’s can be described as one of the most important events to take place in the history of the western hemisphere. In this piece of literature will discuss the different factors influencing sailors’ travel to the New World during the 1400’s through the 1600’s. We will discuss how the wind, currents, shipbuilding and improved navigational aids assisted sailors; we will also explore the different routes between Europe and the Caribbean designed by these sailors in 1500’s. Special focus will be given to Christopher Columbus and his discovery of the West Indies.

The trade winds of the Atlantic and the Caribbean are one of the most important factors contributing to Europe’s discovery of the New World. After Columbus’s discovery of the “West Indies” many sail routes developed across the Atlantic Ocean and through the Caribbean Sea. The trades winds of the Atlantic are create when cool air from the north blow into the high pressure areas of the equator. These trade winds end up turn into the tropics through the Earth’s rotation from east to west. The sailors from Europe used these trade winds to enter into the Caribbean. They sailed south to the Canary Island to pick up the trade winds would take them across the Atlantic into the tropics.

Upon their arrival in the Caribbean Sailors could not leave at latitude they came via the Atlantic trade winds, now the trade winds of the Caribbean would come into play. Ships from the Europe and Africa entered the Caribbean by one of the passages through the Lesser Antilles. The trade winds of the Caribbean went through the Yucatan Channel, the Gulf of Mexico and then through the Florida Strait just above the Bahamas, then into the Gulf Stream which would lead sailors back to the Atlantic and well on their way to Europe. These winds made the way back to Europe much easier for sailors, and in addition to their direction these trade winds were usual...