| Brief Information |
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for European exploration and colonization of the Americas. His voyages, sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, led to the widespread European awareness of the continents of the Americas. He is credited with initiating the Columbian Exchange, a period of transatlantic transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas. |