Discovery to the Americas

Colonial History of the United States

A depiction of Columbus claiming possession of the land in caravels, the Niña and the Pinta ©John Vanderlyn

1492 Oct 11

Bahamas

Between 1492 and 1504, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus led four Spanish transatlantic maritime expeditions of discovery to the Americas. These voyages led to the widespread knowledge of the New World. This breakthrough inaugurated the period known as the Age of Discovery, which saw the colonization of the Americas, a related biological exchange, and trans-Atlantic trade.

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Last Updated: Sun Feb 05 2023

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