Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the New World in 1492. Sponsored by the Spanish monarchy, Columbus embarked on a transatlantic voyage intending to find a westward route to Asia. Instead, he landed in the Bahamas, marking the first known European contact with the Americas. His voyages opened up the New World to European exploration and colonization. Although Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas (Vikings had arrived centuries prior), his expeditions had a profound impact on history. They initiated a period of extensive exploration, exploitation, and exchange that significantly altered global demographics and economies.