Question

Age of Discovery Worksheet

Christopher Columbus
Tomorrow (Friday) we will complete our studies on Columbus, but today I would like to
dwell a little longer on the at first sea crossing, that journey in to the complete unknown.
Using what you know about Columbus' voyage across the Atlantic, (the bobbing of the
caravels upon the water, the initial good speed to Madeira, the Sargasso sea, the winds
that blew the 3 boats further and faster west-) please write a composition about the
experience of a cabin boy your own age on the voyage.
Some ideas: 1)Can you imagine the excitement of such a journey turning to anxiety and
then terror of not being able to turn back as the Santa Maria went further and further
from the known world?
2) Ships food and conditions on the boat must have been extremely basic - describe in
your composition what might have been the experience of the cabin boy as regards food -
perhaps imagining that he had the most menial tasks but sometimes was able to get the
better food for the captain's table..
3) Describe what a daily routine might be like..
4) Describe what your life in 15th century Spain might look like and why you might be
glad to be involved in a voyage that might open up an entire new world of wealth and
shares of profit from any gold traded?
5) Perhaps some of the crew were kind, some not - how would you as a young boy hold
your position and dignity as the lowest status person on the voyage?
6) Did your character believe in Columbus to the end or was he more sympathetic to the
near-mutiny that took place? Did he want to turn back like the crew members and the
captains of the other two ships?
Particular aims: Again - DESCRIPTIVE language that makes the ocean passage vivid -
please use SIMILES as a way of making the texture of your description vivid... 'the sky
was as dark as the bottom of a barrel of tar' for instance. A SIMILE will always add an
extra dimension - we, the reader, want to SEE and FEEL what the cabin-boy feels.
If you have completed this and would like extra work, please make a coloured pencil copy
of the portrait of Columbus on the following page. I like this one because the hands have
a very open gesture. What kind of a person do you think he was? Ambitious? Stubborn?
Brave? Generous? Adventurous? What single adjective can you come up with to describe
such a face, knowing what you do about his history? Of course we cant describe any
human being with only one adjective, but its very useful to be able to try. We need to be
able to develop a WIDE RANGE of descriptive words to have at our disposal.
AIM for 400 words, with a clear paragraph structure - take 10 minutes at least to make a
paragraph plan, which should include a description of thje ocean itself at some point.

Answer 1

As a cabin boy on the voyage of Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic, I was filled with a mix of excitement and anxiety. The bobbing of the caravels upon the water and the initial good speed to Madeira filled me with a sense of adventure, like a leaf tossed and turned by the wind. However, as we ventured further and further away from the known world, the Sargasso sea and the winds that blew the 3 boats westward, my excitement turned to terror.

The food on the ship was extremely basic, and I was often tasked with the most menial jobs such as scrubbing the decks or peeling potatoes. But sometimes, I was lucky enough to get some of the better food from the captain's table. The conditions on the boat were also quite harsh. The constant rocking of the ship and the sound of the waves slapping against the sides of the boat made it difficult to get any rest.

A typical day for me would start before sunrise with a bowl of porridge and a sip of water. After that, I would spend most of the day performing my duties, helping the crew with anything they needed, and trying to stay out of the way of the more experienced sailors. As the sun began to set, we would gather for a meal of dried fish or salted meat, followed by a few hours of rest before starting all over again.

In 15th century Spain, life was quite difficult for someone like me. Growing up in poverty, I jumped at the chance to be a part of this voyage that promised the possibility of wealth and shares of profit from any gold traded. I was aware of the risks, but the opportunity to see new worlds and possibly make a better life for myself and my family was too good to pass up.

As the lowest-status person on the voyage, I had to learn how to hold my position and dignity. Some of the crew were kind, but others were not, and it was up to me to navigate these relationships and earn their respect. At times, I was sympathetic to the near-mutiny that took place and wanted to turn back like the crew members and the captains of the other two ships. However, I also believed in Columbus's vision and the possibilities that lay ahead.

The ocean passage was truly a test of endurance, the sky as dark as the bottom of a barrel of tar, and the sea as rough as a cobblestone street. I felt like an ant on a vast ocean, insignificant and small. But despite the hardships, I will always remember this journey as the beginning of an incredible adventure, one that opened up an entire new world of possibilities.