Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492, during his expedition sponsored by Spain. Believing he could find a westward route to Asia, Columbus set sail and reached the islands of the Caribbean. His landing in the Bahamas marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the New World, although he never set foot on the mainland of North America. Columbus's voyages changed the course of history, leading to the eventual establishment of settlements and the profound cultural exchanges that would follow, often with devastating effects on the Indigenous populations.