Oh, my goodness! Both were backed by a government. Both were adventurous and brave. Both wanted to explore. But Columbus had no idea where he was when he found land. He was lost. Gargarin knew exactly where he was and why. Gargarin was prepared and knew what he was getting into, while Columbus had no clue, just an idea that if he sailed far enough he'd find Asia. Look up Columbus and early space flights, NASA and the Soviet space program for more ideas.
