Christopher Columbus is often credited with the discovery of the New World in 1492. Sponsored by Spain, Columbus embarked on a transatlantic voyage seeking a westward route to Asia. Instead, he reached the Bahamas, unaware that he had discovered previously uncharted continents for Europeans. Columbus made multiple voyages to the Americas, which significantly impacted history by leading to extensive exploration and eventual colonization by European powers. His expeditions opened up new lands and established contact between the Old World and the New, although they also led to profound and often devastating consequences for Indigenous peoples.