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The True Story of Christopher Columbus, Called the Great Admiral

Elbridge S. Brooks

A juvenile biography of Columbus written for young American readers, presenting him as a heroic model of persistence.

A children's biography presenting Columbus as a heroic model, showing how his legacy was taught to young Americans.

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Full text (public-domain edition)

About this source

What it is

This is a biography of Christopher Columbus written by Elbridge S. Brooks for children, part of a series called 'Children's Lives of Great Men'.

Why it matters

Written around the 400th anniversary of Columbus's 1492 voyage, this book shows how Americans of that era wanted Columbus to be remembered: as a figure of faith, pluck, and triumph over obstacles, inspiring young readers to see him as a founding hero of the nation.

Look closer

  • Why might the author want Columbus to be the 'place of honor' in a series about great men?
  • What does the preface tell you about how people in the 1890s wanted children to think about history?
  • How might a modern biography of Columbus differ from this one?

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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