Discovering the Real Christopher Columbus: 8 Facts That May Surprise You

One of the most surprising facts is that Columbus wasn't the first European to reach America. Viking Leif Erikson is believed to have landed in present-day Newfoundland, Canada, around 500 years before Columbus set sail. In fact, Columbus never actually reached the mainland of North America, he landed in the Caribbean.

Columbus wasn't looking for a new continent; he was trying to find a western sea route to Asia. He believed the Earth was smaller than it is, and he expected to find Asia, not a "New World."

His real name was Cristoforo Colombo in his native Italian, or Cristóbal Colón in Spanish. "Christopher Columbus" is the Anglicized version of his name.

Columbus was involved in the slave trade. On his voyages, he and his men enslaved and mistreated native peoples, forcing them to search for gold, and many died as a result. This dark side of Columbus's story is often left out of the popular narrative.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Columbus went to his grave believing he had found a route to Asia, never realizing the full extent of his discovery of the New World.

Upon returning from his third voyage to the New World, Columbus was arrested in Spain for mismanagement of the colonies. He was stripped of his titles and wealth, although some were later restored.

Columbus Day wasn't celebrated in the United States until the 18th century. The holiday was officially recognized in 1937, over 400 years after Columbus's first voyage.

Contrary to popular belief, educated Europeans in Columbus's time knew the Earth was round. The myth that Columbus was trying to prove the Earth was not flat only started in the 19th century.