He was trying to find the Indies. At the time Europe did not know that their was two great land masses, North America and South America, in between Europe and Asia.
India
Christopher Columbus was initially trying to prove that it was possible to reach Asia by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean. He believed that he could find a shorter trade route to Asia, bypassing the established overland routes that were controlled by the Ottomans.
Ptolemy's book "Geography" provided Columbus with outdated and inaccurate maps that underestimated the size of the Earth, leading Columbus to believe he could reach Asia by sailing westward. This misconception ultimately played a significant role in Columbus's decision to explore the New World in 1492.
The Greek philosopher Ptolemy inspired both Gerardus Mercator and Christopher Columbus through his works on geography and cartography. Ptolemy's "Geographia" provided a systematic approach to mapping the world, incorporating latitude and longitude, which influenced Mercator's development of the cylindrical map projection. Columbus, on the other hand, used Ptolemy's ideas to estimate distances on his voyages, believing he could reach Asia by sailing west from Europe.
Interstate 70 and Interstate 670 run east and west through Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus, Ohio
Christopher Columbus was convinced that he could reach Asia by sailing west.
Christopher Columbus
thought he could reach China by sailing west
Columbus was trying to get to Asia by sailing west from Europe, but he ended up reaching the Americas instead in 1492.
West. :)
Christopher Columbus was initially trying to prove that it was possible to reach Asia by sailing westward across the Atlantic Ocean. He believed that he could find a shorter trade route to Asia, bypassing the established overland routes that were controlled by the Ottomans.
Christopher Columbus
Chris Columbus in 1492
That was Christopher Columbus.
Columbus planned to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, while Dias hoped to reach Asia by sailing around Africa and through the Indian Ocean.
SPAIN!
To reach Asia by sailing West