Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of the Americas in 1492, when he made landfall in the Bahamas while seeking a westward route to Asia. However, it is important to note that the Americas were already inhabited by Indigenous peoples, and earlier Viking expeditions led by Leif Erikson reached parts of North America around 1000 A.D. Columbus's voyages initiated widespread awareness and exploration of the Americas by Europeans, transforming global trade, culture, and history. His expeditions marked the beginning of a significant, often tumultuous, relationship between Europe and the Americas.