Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering lands in the Americas that were previously unknown to Europeans. In 1492, sailing under the Spanish flag, Columbus made landfall on an island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador, marking the first European contact with the Caribbean region
. He also explored other islands such as Cuba and Hispaniola, where he established a colony
. Although Columbus believed he had reached the East Indies, these territories were actually part of a "New World" unknown to Europeans at the time
. Columbus did not discover the mainland of North America as we know it today, nor did he reach the continental United States. His voyages primarily covered parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and the northern coast of South America
. His expeditions opened the way for widespread European exploration and colonization of the Americas, initiating what is known as the Age of Exploration
. In summary, Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean islands and parts of Central and South America for Europeans, marking the beginning of European awareness and colonization of the American continents
