In what year did Christopher Columbus first arrive in the Americas?

Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492. This year marks a significant moment in history, as it initiated the era of European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Columbus, sponsored by the Spanish Crown, embarked on his transatlantic voyage with the goal of finding a westward route to Asia but instead landed in the Bahamas, which he mistakenly believed to be part of Asia. This event set the stage for profound changes in global trade, culture, and the lives of Indigenous peoples in the Americas. Subsequent voyages by Columbus and other explorers led to further exploration and eventual colonization, deeply impacting the course of history. The years mentioned in the other choices relate to later voyages and events, but 1492 is firmly recognized as the year Columbus made his first historic landing in the New World.