Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer of North America. Columbus completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean and is greatly responsible for the permanent settlement of Europeans in the Americas.
{Microdata type="HowTo" id="9566"}Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for European exploration and colonization of the Americas.
Columbus is best known for his 1492 voyage when he landed in the Americas, believing he had found a new route to Asia. His expeditions paved the way for widespread contact between Europe and the Americas.
Columbus Day is celebrated to honor Christopher Columbus's first landing in the Americas on October 12, 1492, recognizing his role in history and the impact of his voyages.
Columbus's voyages led to the Columbian Exchange, bringing new plants, animals, and cultures together, but also initiated colonization and had lasting effects on indigenous peoples.
In 1492, Columbus landed on an island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador, marking his first contact with the Americas.