Put the verbs in brackets into the correct past forms.
Christopher Columbus 1)...was born... (be/born) in Italy in 1451. He 2) (work) as a woollen cloth weaver with his father before he 3). nautical career at the age of 22. After several merchant voyages he 4) (settle) in Lisbon, Portugal in 1478. By this time he 5) Portuguese and Latin and 6) books. In 1481 he 7) (begin) his (teach) himself (read) many geographical and navigational (marry) Felipa Parestrello. They (have) one son, Diego. They 9) Tense Forms 8) for two years when his wife 10) (work) for John II of Portugal. Columbus 12). around the world westward but John II wouldn't agree. Finally King Ferdinand and (decide) to finance the voyage. He Queen Isabella of Spain 13) (set off) for the first time in April 1492. There 15) 14).... (be) three ships; the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria and a crew of 90 men. They (have) many false alarms before they finally 17) 16) (spot) the 'New World' at 02.00 on Friday the 12th of October, 1492. Columbus (make) another three voyages after this. He 19) 18) (retire) to Valladolid 12 years after his first voyage and in 1517 he 20) (die) there.
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