_Teachers who wish a regular set of questions on each section will
find them at the end of the section. Difficult words are defined or
pronounced at the end of the numbered paragraph where they first
occur; reference to them will be found in the index._




CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
(1436-1506).[1]


1. Birth and boyhood of Columbus.--Christopher Columbus,[2] the
discoverer of America, was born at Genoa,[3] a seaport of Italy, more
than four hundred and fifty years ago. His father was a
wool-comber.[4] Christopher did not care to learn that trade, but
wanted to become a sailor. Seeing the boy's strong liking for the
sea, his father sent him to a school where he could learn geography,
map-drawing, and whatever else might help him to become some day
commander of a vessel.

[Illustration: COLUMBUS AS A BOY. (From the statue in the Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston.)]

[Footnote 1: These enclosed dates under a name show, except when
otherwise stated, the year of birth and death.]

[Footnote 2: Christopher Columbus (Kris'tof-er Ko-lum'bus).]

[Footnote 3: Genoa (Jen'o-ah); see map in paragraph 21.]