when did columbus land in the new world

Christopher Columbus landed in the New World on October 12, 1492. He first arrived at an island he named San Salvador, which is believed to be in the present-day Bahamas. This event marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the Americas, although Columbus initially believed he had reached Asia. The indigenous peoples he encountered had long-established cultures, making these lands an old world to them, despite being new to Europeans.