Christopher Columbus is credited with the discovery of the New World for Spain, having completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean starting in 1492. His expeditions, under the sponsorship of the Spanish Crown, aimed to find a westward route to Asia but instead led to the European awareness of the American continents. Columbus's voyages facilitated the Spanish colonization of the Americas, profoundly impacting indigenous populations and global trade. While his exploration opened new worlds, it also initiated profound consequences, including the exploitation and colonization of native cultures and the transatlantic slave trade.