The Exploration Era - Part 3 Columbus's Adventures on his Second Voyage. Part 2

Now I will continue where I left off on my last post.

Soon the saw land. Most of the natives fled after seeing the ships coming and left food that was much welcome to the hungry sailors who were with Columbus. They asked the natives when they finally came out of hiding where they could find Gold. They pointed south so in a couple of days the neared land. But suddenly as they drew near at least three score men in ten dugouts came at them yelling and meaning war. Now a young red man named Colon who knew both Spanish and the language of the red men soothed the warlike crowd with kind words and gifts. Then they drew near to isle the beach was suddenly filled with natives armed for war. Columbus decided to attack so that the natives would not think themselves more highly than them. So with their guns and crossbows they set them to flight.

Columbus called the island Santiago but now it is called Jamaica. They still thought though that they were near Japan. But the crews were sick and the ships worn down and the food was going bad.

They followed the coast of Cuba and he thought that it was the mainland of China. But Columbus fell ill and they had to return to Isabella.

Now ships from Spain arrived with fresh supplies. Columbus was extremely busy with quelling the strife between the forts and red men. One of the chiefs came and warned him that the chiefs were in league to destroy them. On top of that the Lord of the House of Gold was on the warpath. He could not easily get to his lands for they were on the other side of the island and it had dense forests, deep streams and high rocks that kept invaders out. He sent a man named Ojeda who was a man known to do daring feats. With ten bold men on horse to go and capture the Lord of the House of Gold.

Ojeda got their and became friends with the chief. He urged him to go to Columbus and treat with him. Now Ojeda also told him that if he came that he would give them the bell of the small church in Isabella. Now when the red men heard it calling for mass they thought that it spoke and the white men paid heed to it. Now the Lord of the House of Gold wanted that bell very badly so he agreed. When they left Ojeda was surprised at the enormous force of Armed men that the Lord of the House of Gold was taking with them. When Ojeda Asked why the large force was necessary The Lord of the House of Gold said that it would not do for a great prince to go out with a small train.

Ojeda feared that the Lord of the House of Gold was going to do some dark deed. Columbus either wanted to make peace with him or take him captive so Ojeda thought up a bold scheme. They came to a large stream. and Ojeda brought forth a pair of handcuff and told the chief that they had come down from the skies and were worn by the kings of Spain, and that they were gifts from them. He also said that if he put them on and cross the stream with them on a horse that his tribe would look up to him in awe. The chief was pleased to wear the bright steel and ride the strange animals. Then they crossed the stream and then they rode away as fast as they could. They made it back to Isabella with the Lord of the House of Gold in the handcuffs.

To be continued.

January 19th This day in Providential History.

Here are some of the things that happened today in Providential History.

In 1807 Confederate General Robert E. Lee was born.
In 1809 Edgar Allen Poe was born.
In 1883 The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison begins service in New Jersey.
In 1917 German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmermann sends the Zimmermann telegraph that proposes a German-Mexican Allaince against the U.S.
In 1977 Snow falls in Maimi, Florida. This is the only time in the history of the city that snow has fallen. Snow also fell in the Bahamas.

These are only a few of the many events, deaths and Births. Click here to see the rest.

Jan 7th This day in providential History.

Here are some of the things that happened today in Providential History.

In 1610 Galileo discovers four moons orbiting Jupiter.
In 1927 Thew first Transatlantic phone call is made. New York to London.
In 1942 WWII The Siege of the Bataan Peninsula begins.

These are only a few of the many events, deaths and Births. Click here to see the rest.

Jan 6th. This day in Providential History.

Here are some of the things that happened today in history.

In 1492 the first mass happened in the town of Isabella.
In 1838 Samuel Morse successfully tests the first electric telegraph.
In 1912 New Mexico is admitted as the 47th state in the United states of America.
In 1995 A chemical fire in an apartment complex in Manila, Philippines leads to the discovery of plans for Project Bonjinka, a mass-terrorist attack.

These are just a few of the things that happened to day in Providential History.

To see the complete list's of Events, Births, and Deaths. Click here.

The Exploration Era-Part 2 Columbus's Adventures on his Second Voyage.

In this post I will go in depth on Columbus's Second Voyage.

On December 7th, Columbus was headed for the port of La Plata, but was blown off course and was forced to land at a natural port. He was though much pleased with the place. Their were two streams one big one small the soil their was good, and the streams were full of fish. Columbus decided that he would make a town their. Soon all were put to work and all the guns, tools, and livestock. Were on shore, and soon the new town, which Columbus named Isabella after the Queen of Spain. Unfortunately many of the men were sick in their minds. They had come for gold. And since sea travel was not very comfortable they were all tired and need of rest. But unfortunately for them, their was no rest for them. Columbus himself fell ill from over exerting himself. Many others in the town also fell ill.

Soon Columbus sent the ships back to Spain. He himself was disappointed that he could not send them back laden with rich stores that would have been gained by the fort. He did though send back a little gold that had been found and some of the fruits and plants. He asked though for the King and Queen to send him food, medicines, and guns for the fledgling town. He also asked for some workmen, and men who knew how to work in mines and could smelt and cleanse ore.

He had a little earlier captured some Carib men and women. He sent them with the 12 ships he sent back from his original 17. In Spain great hopes were raised by Columbus's letter.

Back at the Isabella the men were want to return home. So some men laid a scheme to take some if not all of the five ships that were docked. Fortunately they were found out. The chief man was held in irons in one of the ships.

When Columbus recovered from his illness he and a party of men went out in search of a gold mine. On March 12th they set out. After a two or three day hike they came to a place were their was gold in the streams. The natives their were k9ind and they brought them food and grains of gold that they found in the streams. Columbus built a fort their and left in the charge of one of the Dons with 56 men. He returned to the town on March 29th well pleased with his excursion.

Soon though word came that the local natives near the fort, were about to go on the war path. Their chief's name was The Lord of the House of Gold. The fact was that after Columbus left they started to do the red men all sorts of wrongs to get their gold.

But Columbus had no fear of the fort. For the Natives had a fear and awe of the white men. Columbus did send the Don a score of men, food and ammunition. So that they could work on the road between the town and the fort.

Columbus's chief concern though was for the people in the town. Many were sick and the bread ran out and the flour ran low. Columbus then said that those who did not work did not eat. This hurt many of the young men of high rank who were to dignified to get their hands dirty. They had come to get richer but not by toil. Columbus was forced to make them work.

Columbus decided that he would go out in search of new lands. So he took the there small ships and set sail on April 24th.

I will finish this story in my next post.

Jan. 5th, This Day in Providential History.

Here just a few of the things that happened today in history.

In 1759 George Washington marries Martha Dandridge Custis
In 1846 The US House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the UK.
In 1972 U.S. President Richard Nixon orders the development of a Space Shuttle program.
In 2006 Eris the largest known Dwarf Planet in the solar system, is discovered by the team of Micheal Brown, Chad Trujilo and David Rabinowitz using images originally taken on October 21, 2003, at the Palomar Observatory.
In 1943 George Washington Carver died.

To check out the full list of Events, deaths, and births. Click here!

Isaac Newton

Today is Isaac Newtons birthday, he was a physicist, mathematician, Astronomer, alchemist, natural philosopher, and a theologian. He is considered one of the greatest scientist of all time. In 1687 he published his first work (It was actually three books.) called Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica which is Latin for Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. It is considered one of the most influential books ever written. It layed the ground work for classical mechanics. In this work Newton explains Universal Gravitation and the three Laws of Motion which dominated the scientific view of the physical Universe for the next three centuries.

Newton built the first practical reflecting telescope and developed a theory of colour based on the observation that a prism decomposes white light into the many colours that form the visible spectrum. He also formulated an empirical law of cooling.

Newton died on March 31rst 1727.

Newton remains influential to scientists, as demonstrated by a 2005 survey of members of Britain's Royal Society (formerly headed by Newton) asking who had the greater effect on the history of science, Newton or Albert Einstein. Royal Society scientists decided Newton to have made the greater overall contribution to science.

The Exploration Era-Part 1 Columbus

I will start a new series which I will run Parallel to my Civil War series.

The Exploration Era started when Christopher Columbus (1451-1506). Sailed across the Atlantic ocean to try to find a quicker way to get to India in 1492. He had always been fascinated by the sea and sailing. He had gone to sea at ten years old. We do not know much about his early life. He made a theory that he could go westward by sea and reach India faster than the Portuguese who had to sail all the way around Africa. Most people of that day believed (even though science said otherwise) that the earth was flat and at the end of the earth were great monsters that would devour all ships that came there. But after much persistence he persuaded Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to give him ships to sail and find this quicker route to India. They gave him three ships, the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. They set sail on Aug. 3, 1492 from Palos, Spain, and on October 11, 1492, they spotted the Caribbean islands off southeastern North America. Now Columbus thought that these islands were just offshore from India. But with further exploring they realized that they were not near India. They visited the modern day islands of San Salvador, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

On the return voyage the Santa Maria, was wrecked so Columbus arrived back at Spain on March 15, 1493.

On Sept. 25, 1493, Columbus set sail with 17 ships and 1,200 to 1,500 men to find gold and capture Indians as slaves in the Indies(Which is what Columbus called them). Columbus established a fort in Hispaniola(which now encompasses Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and sailed around Hispaniola and along the length of southern Cuba. He spotted and named the island of Dominica on November 3, 1493.

Later on a third expedition (May 30, 1498-October 1500), Columbus sailed farther south, to Trinidad and Venezuela (including the mouth of the Orinoco River). Columbus was the first European to set foot on the mainland of America, since the Viking Leif Ericcson. Also when he returned to the fort on Hispaniola it had been attacked and destroyed.

When Columbus retired he had been striped of his great title by people who wanted his glory. He died a poor man.

But he had one of the largest impacts in history. God used him to start a nation over 250 years after his death.

The Civil War Part 3 - The battle of the Ironclads

The ironclads that fought in the Hampton roads were the first iron battleships. The Virginia or the Merrimack was built to break the blockade which by the way is unconstitutional because in the constitution it says that no blockade can be issued unless at war with a foreign power. But since the south was part of the U.S. and not a foreign power it was not constitutional to issue the blockade.
On March 8th The Virginia came into Hampton roads and sank the Cumberland which was a 22 gun sloop. Then the Virginia turned the Congress a 44 gun ship into an inferno. The captain of the Virginia decided he would leave because one it was getting dark two the steam frigate Minnesota had come to join the fight but had run aground so they thought they could come back tomorrow and finish off the Minnesota the next day. But when they Virginia sailed in the next morning they found that a small iron raft with a turret with two large guns sticking out of it standing between them and the Minnesota. It had been built when the Union found out that the Confederacy was building an iron ship. It had been clear that the Union Navy would need and iron ship to do battle with the one the Confederates were building. The design that President Lincoln choose was for the Monitor. It had been designed by a Swedish inventor named John Ericsson. He had designed it several years earlier, but people had laughed and said it would sink.
John Ericsson had to hurry to get the job done. He had to invent most of the pieces himself. In fact the elevator that was used to hoist the shot up into the turret was the beginning of the modern elevator. So the Virginia opened up on the Monitor but the cannonballs just bounced off the turret in a flurry of sparks. Then the Monitor's turret turned and fired heavy shot at point blank range but it did'nt go through it only slightly damaged the iron plates.
For several hours the two ships cricled each other firing shot after shot into each other. The Virginia tried to ram but they had lost most of it when ramming another ship so it did little dammage. But near the end of the battle one of the gunners aimed at the small box in the front that served as a pilot house. And that was also were the captain was standing. He fired a shell their and blinded the captain of the Monitor. But so much dammage had been taken on both sides that they both retreated. But by the end of that year both ships had sunk. The Virginia had gone back to Norfolk but Major General Benjerman Huger abandoned the city on May 9th without consulting the Navy so now the Virginia was trapped so the captain decided to blow her up, and that is what he did.
Now the Monitor sank in a storm out in the Atlantic while being transported to a new location.
But this had been the first battle between iron ships. Soon other countries began to build their own iron ships and soon the wooden ships would be outdated and old. This was one of the greatest battle in the world. It changed naval warfare forever.

If you have any Questions please comment below.

The Civil War part 2 - First Blood

The first battle of the Civil War was the first battle of Manassas, on July 21rst 1861. The Union General was Gen. Irvin McDowell. The General's for the Confederate side was: Joseph E. Johnston and Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. This was the first major battle of the war. Nearly 70,000 troops were involved in this battle(US 28,450; CS 32,230). It On July 16, 1861, the untested Union army under Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell marched from Washington against the Confederate army, which was drawn up behind Bull Run.
On the 21st, McDowell crossed at Sudley Ford and attacked the Confederate left flank on Matthews Hill. Fighting raged throughout the day as Confederate forces were driven back to Henry Hill. Late in the afternoon, Confederate reinforcements (one brigade arriving by train from the Shenandoah Valley) extended and broke the Union right flank. The Federal retreat rapidly became into a rout. Although victorious, Confederate forces were too disorganized to pursue. . Thomas J. Jackson earned the name: “Stonewall.” By July 22, the shattered Union army reached the safety of Washington. This battle convinced the Lincoln administration that the war would be a long and costly affair. McDowell was relieved of command of the Union army and replaced by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, who set about reorganizing and training the troops.

A few other battles had occurred before this but this was the first field battle of the Civil War.

If you have any Questions please comment below.

The Civil War part 1 - Secession

The civil war cost 620,000 war deaths, these do not include the many more thousands of civilians that were killed in the war. This was the bloodiest war up until that point in history. Many say that it was fought over slavery while others the taxation of the south, or even to save the "Union".
In this post I will talk about these three reasons and I will talk about the myth that secession is "Treason".

First I will talk about how that slavery was not the main cause of the civil war. First if Lincoln wanted to free the slaves why not do it peacefully as most of the countries did. England for example freed their slaves by paying the owners forty percent of what each slave was worth. If Lincoln had taken the amount of money that the Union spent on the war they could have freed each slave (using England's technique) and given him forty acres and a mule!
"Well what about the emancipation proclamation?" some might ask.
The emancipation proclamation was Lincolns last card as one Englishman put it. The union had lost many a battle by 1863 and Lincolns administration was gambling that their would be a massive slave insurrection, but it did have its whiplash back. As many Northerners were horrified, mobs took to the streets, 200,000 Federal soldiers deserted, another 120,000 evaded conscription, and another 90,000 men fled to Canada. Lincolns real agenda was to "Save the Union" or to centralize the power to the government and to make them sovereign and he said so in a letter to the New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley he said:

My Paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the union without freeing any slave I would do it: and if it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the union.

This letter is interesting because like a true politician Lincoln said one thing in his inaugural speech then another now that he is in power. In fact he said that he had no power to free slaves in his inaugural speech now he talks as if he could even if he thought about it.

The taxation of the south was probably the main reason for the civil war. Huge tariff's were being levied against the south. Because the south was so trade dependant, the northern businesses profited greatly from it. Many southern representatives railed against it. Calling for them to bring it down as most of the other foreign countries were.
On the eve of the firing on fort Sumter a new Tariff was about to be levied it would plunder the South without completely destroying it.

The third reason people give for the reason of the civil war is that we needed to save the "Union" so that the U.S. would not break up into smaller countries and therefore we would not be the great nation that we are to day. My answer is this. To the founding fathers secession was a fundamental principle of political philosophy. In fact the Declaration of Independence was a secession document.
Thomas Jefferson the main author of the Declaration of Independence said in his first inaugural address in 1801 said this: "If there be any among us who would wish to to dissolve this union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of safety with which error of opinion mat be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." And when his words where put to the test when a group of New England Federalists states attempted to secede from the union, Jefferson maintained it saying "If any state in the Union will declare that it prefers separation... to a continuance in Union...I have no hesitation in saying 'let us separate'."
Lincolns declaration that secession would destroy the union of states and lead to "anarchy" was a lie. If they had been allowed to go in peace it would have the effect the founding fathers wanted it to have. The tariff's would go down and it would have stopped the slide to a centralized state and in the end the south would have probably favored a union with the north and 620,000 young men would have not lost their lives. As James Madison said in 1787 that "a little rebellion now and then is a good thing and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical... a medicine necessary for the sound heath of government."
Based on this evidence and much more I think that the south was in the right when they seceded. A bloody war may have been averted if Lincoln had not been a great centralizer of power and a dictator upon which I will talk about in further posts.

Remember if you have any questions just leave a comment and I will answer it.

The end of the war

The end of the war came 1945 it had taken opn the pacific side over 3 million Japanese civilians lives and 2 atomic bombs had to go off before it ended it ended on the European side with the taking of Berlin.

With peace came many change Germany was split up. Europe was changed forever by this war, it was one of the most costly wars ever fought.


And Thus World War 2 came to an end.