Which description matches Cristobal Colon?

• A. 1451-1506, Italian, Married A Portuguese Lady And Made Many Mistakes With Measuring.
• B. 1460-1510, Spanish, Born In Seville, And Navigated Extensively.
• C. 1400-1450, Italian, Never Married.
• D. 1451-1506, Italian, Married A Portuguese Lady And Made Many Mistakes With Measuring.

Answer: (D)

Christopher Columbus was an Italian-born navigator from Genoa, who lived during the late 1400s and died in 1506. The description that lists the dates 1451-1506, identifies him as Italian, notes that he married a Portuguese noblewoman, and hints at his imperfect measuring or navigation captures the key biographical details commonly taught about him. He spent time in Portugal and later secured sponsorship from the Spanish crown for his westward voyage, aiming to reach Asia by crossing the Atlantic. His calculations about distance and geography were not perfectly accurate—he underestimated the size of the Earth and the actual distance to Asia, which is why he didn’t reach Asia on his first voyage but instead landed in the Americas. The other options misstate these essential facts, such as birth year, nationality, or marital status, so they don’t fit him as well.