Christopher Columbus is the reason why we celebrate Columbus Day as he landed in the “New World,” now known as the Americas, in 1492.

Here are nine things to know about Christopher Columbus ahead of Columbus Day, which we will celebrate on Monday, Oct. 9 this year:

• He completed a total of four voyages from Europe to what is now known as the Americas, and back.
• Columbus first settled into the island of Hispaniola, now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which began the European colonization of the New World.
• The voyager first planned to journey to the East Indies with the purpose of establishing new trade routes, but unwittingly found himself in the New World.
• He was burn in the Republic of Genoa to Domenico Colombo, a middle-class wool weaver, and Susanna Fontanarossa.
• Christopher’s sibings were Bartolomeo (also an explorer), Giovanni Pellegrino, Bianchinetta and Giacomo.
• Columbus worked in a cartography workshop in Lisbon during a portion of his adult life.
• He traded all around the world, traveling to England, West Africa and Portugal.
• Christopher had extensive knowledge in topics such as Latin, Portuguese, Castilian, Italian, astronomy, geography and history.
• He was very interested in the Bible and Biblical prophecies, often quoting the book in his texts. Columbus believes his journey to the Americas was based on his reading of the Second Book of Esdras (Ezra): see 2 Esdras 6:42.