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Motive
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Very interested in finding a
quicker way to sail to Asia to trade
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At first, wanted to prove Columbus
did not reach Asia, but later changed his mind and wanted to prove him
right
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To claim land or bring information
back to Spain based on his knowledge of astronomy and navigation
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Personality Traits
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Skilled navigator
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Curious, inquisitive
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Scientific, intelligent
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Problem solver
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Brave, adventurous
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Shrewd, sly
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Success
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Used new technology like the
cross-staff to prove that the Earth was larger than other navigators believed,
supporting his belief that the New World discoveries could not be Asia,
but a new continent
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Inspired new maps of Earth to
be drawn which included a new continent
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Failure
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Never was a leading explorer
or ship captain, only a pilot or driver
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Some people doubt that he really
explored South America in 1499, and therefore wasn't the first to reach
it
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Changed the World
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Was one of the first explorers
to come up with the idea that these places he had visited were not part
of Asia (as Columbus thought) but rather were part of a "New World"
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Wrote book The New World
which inspired new maps
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New continent named America
after him, even though scholars don't believe he discovered it--the name
just "stuck"
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