WI Columbus Failed?

Cabots voyage was launched when they probably did not know wether Columus's voyage was a sucess yet. And if he was getting information from cod fisherman he might just conclude that Columbus was going the wrong way.

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1496 > 1492 by 4 years... and Henry VII knew of the treaty of Tordesillas, which was in 1494. It was probably a motivating factor for him.
 
Cabot is most likely influenced by Columbus. Cabral's fateful trip would be butterflied enough that it is likely not to have hit the same storm.
I think it was not a random storm. It was the tactics of volta do mar. Where Cabral took the lead of Vasco da Gama.
 
I think it was not a random storm. It was the tactics of volta do mar. Where Cabral took the lead of Vasco da Gama.

I suppose it is possible that Cabral went to Brazil on purpose, having prior knowledge... but Dias got to the Cape of Good Hope without hitting Brazil, so if it wasn't on purpose, it was either a storm, or Cabral simply overshot. Either way, it isn't a given that in an alternate timeline, Cabral hits Brazil on schedule.
 
I suppose it is possible that Cabral went to Brazil on purpose, having prior knowledge... but Dias got to the Cape of Good Hope without hitting Brazil, so if it wasn't on purpose, it was either a storm, or Cabral simply overshot. Either way, it isn't a given that in an alternate timeline, Cabral hits Brazil on schedule.

It almost is, taking advantage of the South Atlantic wind systems means on the way to the Indies you riding the trade wind south east from Africa and then hitch onto the southern Westerlies, an on the back from India you cut as far out from the Cape as possible before heading back east into North West Africa on the Westerlies. They're going to go further and further out to reduce journey times as they get more confident, and since the optimal path ends up within sight of Brazil...
 
It almost is, taking advantage of the South Atlantic wind systems means on the way to the Indies you riding the trade wind south east from Africa and then hitch onto the southern Westerlies, an on the back from India you cut as far out from the Cape as possible before heading back east into North West Africa on the Westerlies. They're going to go further and further out to reduce journey times as they get more confident, and since the optimal path ends up within sight of Brazil...

Well, I've heard that Cabral did get blown farther by a storm, but I don't have any source other than google/wikipedia. Does the optimal path actually reach Brazil, and how long would it take for such confidence to build? De Gama sailed the same route without finding Brazil, as far as we know. So, if not Cabral, would you expect it to happen a few trips down the line, a decade or two, or probably the very next voyage?
 
Goodbye Columbus

Firstly forgetting all the agruments about whether America was discovered i.e the Indians were there first, Columbus did not discovered America and never reached the mainland Amerigo Vesppuci did and probably would have reached there anyway. Transatlantic crossing had been occuring possibly on a limited scale i.e there apperas to have been no regular trade but maybe the Phoenicians reached Americas. Columbus is alledged to have some portolans showing land and knew what he was doing so not a lot would have changed. Cabot reached Newfoundland but fisherman had been using the Grand Banks for some time and he never went south. The Vikings had reached parts of North America.

Cabral had reached South America but not North America. Colmbus's failure would have had little long term affect on history other than his not having a recorded place in it.
 
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