Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of the New World in 1492. His transatlantic voyage, sponsored by Spain, aimed to find a new route to Asia. Instead, Columbus landed in the Bahamas, marking the first major European contact with the Americas. This event initiated widespread exploration, colonization, and the exchange of goods, cultures, and populations between the Old and New Worlds, often referred to as the Columbian Exchange. Columbus's voyages significantly altered the course of history, leading to European expansion and the eventual establishment of colonies throughout the American continents.