Discovery of America

The discovery of America refers to when European explorers, led by Christopher Columbus in 1492, reached the continents of North and South America. Although indigenous peoples had lived there for thousands of years, Columbus’s voyage marked the first widespread European awareness of the landmass. This event initiated extensive exploration, colonization, and cultural exchanges between Europe and the Americas, significantly impacting global history. It’s important to recognize that America was already inhabited by diverse societies long before this encounter. The “discovery” signals European awareness of the continents, not the first human presence there.