Christopher Columbus made his first voyage to the Americas in 1492. Commissioned by the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, Columbus sought a westward route to Asia but instead landed in the Bahamas, marking the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the New World. His journey fundamentally changed the dynamics between the Old and New Worlds, leading to significant cultural exchanges and the establishment of European settlements in the Americas. Columbus's voyages are often commemorated but also critiqued for the consequences they had on Indigenous populations, highlighting the complex legacy of his explorations.