USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus and his crew set sail from the port of Palos in southern Spain on three vessels: la Santa Clara (Niña ), la Pinta and la Santa Gallega (Santa Maria).

Detailed explanation-2: -Ask any American schoolchildren and they’ll tell you Columbus’s ships were named Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria. However, at least two of those were likely nicknames. In Columbus’s time it was the custom in Spain to name ships after saints and to call them by nicknames instead.

Detailed explanation-3: -La Pinta (Spanish for The Painted One, The Look, or The Spotted One) was the fastest of the three Spanish ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first transatlantic voyage in 1492. The New World was first sighted by Rodrigo de Triana aboard La Pinta on 12 October 1492.

Detailed explanation-4: -Everyone knows the names of the three ships that sailed on Christopher Columbus’ maiden voyage to the New World – the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria. Few realize that only the Santa Maria was the true name of the three ships. The Niña and Pinta were nicknames given to the vessels.