This Day in History: Columbus Reaches the New World (Oct. 12)
- 5 years ago
This Day in History:
Columbus Reaches
the New World October 12, 1492 After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, the Italian explorer saw a Bahamian island, believing he has reached East Asia. His expedition went ashore the same day — on what was probably Watling Island in the Bahamas — and claimed the land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Columbus had set sail from
Palos, Spain, with three small
ships, the Santa Maria, the
Pinta and the Nina, on August 3. He was attempting to find
a western ocean route to
China, India and the fabled
gold and spice islands of Asia. Instead, Columbus became
the first European to explore the
Americas since the Vikings set up
colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland. Over the next century,
the riches of the New World
would help make Spain the
wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth.
Columbus Reaches
the New World October 12, 1492 After sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, the Italian explorer saw a Bahamian island, believing he has reached East Asia. His expedition went ashore the same day — on what was probably Watling Island in the Bahamas — and claimed the land for Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain. Columbus had set sail from
Palos, Spain, with three small
ships, the Santa Maria, the
Pinta and the Nina, on August 3. He was attempting to find
a western ocean route to
China, India and the fabled
gold and spice islands of Asia. Instead, Columbus became
the first European to explore the
Americas since the Vikings set up
colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland. Over the next century,
the riches of the New World
would help make Spain the
wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth.