Who was Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator who completed four voyages across the Atlantic ocean. Scholars believe he was born between August 25th and October 31st 1451 and he is know for the expeditions that inaugurated a period of exploration in Europe that resulted in the colonization of many countries in the Americas that lasted for centuries. Many places in the western hemisphere bear his name including Colombia (the country), British Columbia (province in Canada), District of Columbia (capital of the US) and Columbus (city in Ohio). Christopher Columbus died on May 20th, 1506.