Christopher Columbus | Page 4

a child--the Vico Dritto di Ponticello. In the wall of
the house in which he is believed to have lived is placed an iron tablet
containing an inscription in Latin. It tells us that "no house is more to
be honored than this, in which Christopher Columbus spent his
boyhood and his early youth."
More important than the exact spot of his birth would be a knowledge

of the sort of childhood he passed and of the forces that molded his
character. To learn this we must look into the condition of civilization,
and particularly of Italian civilization, in the middle sixteenth century.
Columbus was born in a brilliant period known now as the
Renaissance--a French word meaning re-birth--which marks the
beginning of modern history. It followed a long, painful period known
to us as the Dark Ages, or Middle Ages, namely, the period between
ancient and modern times. In the Middle Ages humanity was very
ignorant, hampered by all sorts of evil superstitions; while the daily life
of the people was miserable and without comforts, lacking many things
which we consider necessities. Yet even in those far-away days things
were improving, because man has always felt the desire to make his lot
better; and the constant effort of these people of the Middle Ages led to
that beautiful awakening which we call the Renaissance.
One of the first glimmers of this new life may be said to have come
from the Crusades. The Europeans who had journeyed down into Asia
to drive the Mohammedans, or Saracens, out of the Holy Land, came
back impressed with the fact that these infidel Asiatics had more
refinement and courtesy than Christian Europe knew. The returning
Crusaders introduced some of this refinement into their own countries,
and it caused people to abandon some of their rude ways. Of course
there were many more influences working toward the great awakening,
principally the growth of commerce. All Europe became alive with the
desire for progress; many new things were invented, many old ones
perfected; and before the Renaissance ended it had given us some
wonderful discoveries and achievements--paper and printing; the
mariner's compass; an understanding of the solar system; oil painting,
music, and literature; and lastly, the New World.
Why, then, if it brought all these arts and inventions and discoveries, do
we not call it the birth, instead of the re-birth? Because many of the
beautiful elements of the Renaissance, such as art, science, and poetry,
enjoyment of life, freedom to investigate and study nature-- all these
had existed in the days of ancient Greece and Rome; but after the fall of
Roman civilization it took the barbarian peoples of other portions of

Europe a long, long time to grow civilized, and to establish some sort
of order out of their jumbled affairs; and while they were slowly
learning lessons of government and nationality, the culture of the
antique world was lost sight of. When it was found again, when young
men wished to learn Latin and Greek so that they could read the long-
neglected books and poetry of the ancients, human life was made much
richer and happier.
This desire came first to the people of Italy. It was very natural, for
ancient Rome, where great learning had last flourished, was in Italy;
furthermore, the Italian peninsula, jutting out into the much-navigated
Mediterranean, was full of seaports, to which came vessels with the
merchandise, the language, and the legends of other countries; and
when we learn of other countries, we broaden our ideas.
Add to Italy's favorable geographical position the fact that her people
were unusually quick of intellect, and were gifted with great
imagination, and you will see how natural it was that the Renaissance
should have started there. Also, you will see why the great discoverer
was a very natural product of Italy and its Renaissance.
* * * * *
Genoa, like other large Italian cities, was teeming with this new spirit
of investigation and adventure when Cristoforo Colombo (in his native
land his name was pronounced Cristof'oro Colom'bo) was born there or
first came there to live. Long before, Genoa had taken an active part in
the Crusades, and every Genoese child knew its story. It had carried on
victorious wars with other Italian seaports. It had an enormous
commerce. It had grown rich, it was so full of marble palaces and
churches, and it had such a glorious history, that its own people loved
to call it Genova la Superba (Superb Genoa).
Although Cristoforo's family were humble people of little or no
education, the lad must have had, or made, many opportunities for
acquiring knowledge. Probably he made them; for, as a boy in those
days generally followed his father's trade, Cristoforo must have spent a
good deal of