In the fall of 1451 in Genoa, Italy, a man was born who would later discover America — Christopher Columbus. The eldest of five children, he and one of his younger brothers, Bartholomew, sometimes helped their father, a wool weaver, by carding raw wool. But even at a young age, Christopher kept his eyes on the sea and knew in his heart that the day would come he would captain his own ship.

It was Bartholomew who planned the great voyage with Christopher and became his right-hand-man in all his enterprises. On the morning of Oct. 12, 1492, at the age of 41, Christopher stepped ashore in America. That discovery was an accident. Columbus was really seeking a shorter western sea route from Europe to Asia. When he sighted America, he believed he had reached his goal.