According to popular belief, Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America in 1492. Columbus, an Italian explorer sailing under the Spanish flag, made four voyages across the Atlantic, landing in the Caribbean rather than the mainland United States. His expeditions marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Americas. However, it is important to recognize that indigenous peoples inhabited the continent long before Columbus arrived. Additionally, Norse explorer Leif Erikson reached parts of North America earlier, around the year 1000, making Columbus's role in the discovery of America a complex and debated topic.