On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 04:53:49 +0000, Gould 0738 wrote:

It's Columbus Day.

Would it be appropriate to compile a list of Columbus trivia?


4. To get permission to sail to a land that the super authority, the church,
denied even existed, Cristobol petitioned to make an expedition to China, (an
officially recognized locale). He pitched a religious as well as a commercial
angle, but it is
rather evident that he knew full well he would not be landing in China.
SNIP

5. In 1492, most people did not believe the world was flat, and Columbus was
not obsessed with "proving" it to be round.


The Story I heard was that the "fact" in question was not whether or not
the world was flat, but of it's size. Some (not sure who the Players
were...) contended it was about 24000 miles around (close to the correct
figure). Others, including Columbus, contended it was about 5000 miles -
so a journey west to Chine was eminently possible.

Columbus was still wrong when he hit land, which was why he named it
"Indies" and the natives "Indians".

Lloyd

ps - a belated Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'm still burbin' turkey!

ls