Age of Discovery

During the Age of Discovery, pirates likely kept parrots on board not as pets but as merchandise. With their vivid colors rare in Europe and ability to mimic human speech, parrots could be sold for high prices.

Columbus's discovery of America resulted from a measurement unit mix-up. He confused Arab miles with Roman miles, vastly underestimating Earth's size. People mocked his voyage not because they thought Earth was flat—they knew it was round—but because his math was clearly wrong.

Medieval Europeans believed for centuries that "Prester John," a Christian king, ruled a powerful kingdom in Asia. This legend drove Prince Henry of Portugal to launch expeditions around Africa, helping catalyze the Age of Discovery.