Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering America in 1492 during his expedition sponsored by Spain. Although he was not the first European to reach the Americas—Vikings had visited earlier—Columbus’s voyages led to widespread awareness of the continent in Europe. He initially landed in the Bahamas, believing he had found a new route to Asia. Columbus’s journeys are significant as they marked the beginning of extensive European exploration and colonization of the Americas, which had profound effects on the indigenous cultures and the course of global history.