This Kapow pupil video is part of the Kapow History scheme of work. It tells the story of Christopher Columbus, a famous explorer from over 500 years ago. In the past, people didn’t know as much about the world as we do today. They couldn’t travel easily, so there were places they hadn’t visited or even heard of. Columbus wanted to find a quicker way to reach Asia, where spices and silks could be found, so he set off sailing west from Spain in 1492 with three small ships.

After weeks at sea, Columbus and his crew reached land. He thought he had arrived in Asia, but he had actually landed in what we now call the Americas. Columbus met the people who already lived there and brought back gold and spices to Spain. His journey helped Europeans learn more about the wider world, but it also led to serious problems. Many people believe Columbus treated the native people unfairly, taking their land and riches. This story helps us explore how exploration brought new knowledge but also caused harm to others.

The video is designed to be shown to pupils as part of History, Key stage 1, Year 1, How have explorers changed the world? Lesson 3: Who was Christopher Columbus and what did he do?