Christopher Columbus

The Age of Exploration started around the 1400s, most of these explorers came from Portugal, like Prince Henry the Navigator and Vasco da Gama. One of the greatest explorers, however, came from Genoa Italy. His name was Christopher Columbus. He discovered the New World, eventually named America. He sailed East with the financial support from Spain and discovered the New World in 1492. Columbus had a major impact on America other than the fact that he discovered it. Once he had discovered the New World, he went back to Spain to report his discovery. Because of this, Spain was able to take control over the New World before Portugal. Spain’s religious rivalry with England eventually lead to Spain’s defeat, allowing the French to start exploration.

If America was discovered by an explorer other than Christopher Columbus, for example, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, most likely, the New World wouldn’t have been named “America.” Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer and was the first to realize that Christopher Columbus discovered a new content. The New World was named “America” in honor of Amerigo Vespucci. Had the discovery been by Vasco Da Gama, the New World would have most likely had a different name. Religion also would have had a major change. Portugal did not have a religious and economic rivalry with England. However Spain did, causing England to interfere with the New World. In the end, England dominated the New World allowed people to have political and religious rights. Had the discovery been by Vasco da Gama, Portugal would have taken over and England most likely would have stayed out of the way.