Around the time of Columbus, were there other failed attempts?
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. He sailed farther than anyone else had ever done, on three tiny ill-equipped ships. After days of sailing he finally reached his intended destination and discovered the Westward sea route to the East Indies.
Unfortunately he didn't actually reach his goal. Fortunately for me, he discovered the new world.
Were there other explorers heading out into the unknown and uncharted waters Westward from Spain, England, or Portugal that failed? In other words, everyone remembers the winner, and second place is another word for loser. Who were some also-rans?
More
1 Expert Answer
There were some also rans. Look into John and Sebastian Cabot. Henry Hudson (a little later) also looked for a NW passage to get around North America, but failed. He died along the way. His crew mutined due to the terrible cold.
Still looking for help? Get the right answer, fast.
Ask a question for free
Get a free answer to a quick problem.
Most questions answered within 4 hours.
OR
Find an Online Tutor Now
Choose an expert and meet online. No packages or subscriptions, pay only for the time you need.
Oliver L.
If there were any losers our history has not recorded any. But 500 years before Columbus history indicates the Vikings successfully reached mainland America. As for Spain, England, and Portugal, the European explorers were motivated to find a sea route to the East because Marco Polo, an Italian had found a western land route to the riches of the Silk and Spice trade which increased the cost for the Western Europeans of Portugal, Spain (Castile), and England. All were Catholic countries at the time and there was a Papal Bull of slavery during the crusades that allowed Christians to possess all explored and conquered land and place all non-Christians into perpetual slavery. Since Spain (Castile) and Portugal were at war over possession of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, the Pope stepped in and initiated a peace between the Catholic countries by giving Portugal permission to possess all the unexplored lands on the East of the world and Spain (Castile) permission to possess all the unexplored lands on the West of the world, which is why the Portuguese explorers Bartholomeu Diaz and Vasco DaGama went South and East towards India and the Spanish expedition led by the Italian, Columbus, had to go West. Incidentally, Christopher Columbus never set foot on continental America so he could not have discovered America. He visited the Islands of the West Indies. During this period, a Portuguese southern expedition were driven off course and landed in Brazil which was in the Spanish sector of the world. While both Spain (Castile) and Portugal petitioned the Pope, the Pope drew a new North-South divide in the world that does not conform to the parallels but is skew to include Brazil on the Eastern part of Portuguese territory, which is why Brazil speaks Portuguese and the rest of South America speaks Spanish.04/21/19