Myth: There is no doubt that Columbus was Italian.

Fact: Much controversy surrounds the origins of Columbus. Some say he was a "converso"-- a converted Jew. Others say he was born on Corsica, and there is even a theory that he had Viking ancestors. The strongest theory is that he was born and raised in Genoa, a seaport in what is now Italy.

Myth: The first voyage from Spain to the New World was perilous--filled with bad weather and lack of food. Several sailors died along the way.

Fact: No one died on the maiden voyage. There was enough food aboard for one year. The weather was ideal--no storms were encountered. However, on the return trip to Spain there was a major hurricane which almost destroyed the two remaining ships.

Myth: Columbus died a pauper, in chains, in a Spanish prison.

Fact: Even though the Spanish rulers took away some of the privileges that they had promised Columbus, he was a rich man at the time of his death. Although he returned to Spain in chains in 1500 after his third voyage, the King and Queen apologized for the misunderstanding and had them removed. Columbus died quietly at the age of 55 in Valladolid, Spain in 1506, in his own apartment, surrounded by family and friends.

Myth: Horses were brought to the Americas much later by Spanish Conquistadors.

Fact: Horses were introduced to the New World by Columbus on his second voyage.

Myth: Columbus set out the prove that the earth was round.

Fact: At the end of the 15th century most everyone knew the earth was a sphere. What they did wonder about was how big the earth might be--its circumference. Columbus underestimated the size of the globe by at least one fourth.

Myth: The ships were crowded on the first voyage because the women demanded one whole side of the ship for themselves.

Fact: Women were not on the first or second voyages of Columbus. The first women colonists appeared in 1498, when Columbus was allowed to recruit one woman for every ten emigrants on the third voyage.

Myth: Queen Isabella sold the crown jewels to pay for Columbus's journeys.

Fact: The queen may have suggested it, but her financial advisers assured her that there were other ways to finance the project. One way was to make the city of Palos pay back a debt to the country by providing two of the three ships. Another way was to get money from Italy for part of the expenses. Spain had to put up very little money from the country's treasury.