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Secondary sourceBook1891

The Life of Columbus: From His Own Letters and Journals

Edward Everett Hale · 1891

Edward Everett Hale's biography of Columbus built largely from Columbus's own letters and journals.

A biography built from Columbus's own letters and journals, used to study his life and voyages.

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Full text (public-domain edition)

About this source

What it is

This is a biography of Christopher Columbus written by Edward Everett Hale, drawing heavily on Columbus's own letters, journals, and other documents from his time.

Why it matters

Hale's biography shows how historians piece together a life from original documents rather than invention, following earlier biographers like Washington Irving. It offers students a guided path into Columbus's own words while reminding them that every biography reflects the choices and era of its author.

Look closer

  • Why might a biographer choose to build a life story mainly from letters and journals?
  • How might Hale's own time period have shaped the way he told Columbus's story?
  • What questions would you ask to check whether a biography is fair?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Christopher Columbus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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