Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who is widely credited with discovering America. Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, Columbus came from a family of merchants and learned the trade at an early age. He became interested in navigation and began sailing at a young age, gaining experience on trading trips to the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.

In 1492, Columbus set out on a journey to discover a new trade route to Asia. The journey was sponsored by Queen Isabella of Spain, who provided Columbus with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus and his crew set out from Palos, Spain, and after a long voyage, they landed in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492. Columbus believed he had reached the East Indies, and he named the natives he encountered "Indians."

Columbus made three more journeys to America, but he never realized that he had not reached Asia. He explored several Caribbean islands, including Cuba and