Christopher Columbus

Sailing westward across the Atlantic in 1492, Christopher Columbus inadvertently initiated the permanent contact between the Americas and the rest of the world. While he was searching for a direct trade route to the East Indies, his landfall in the Caribbean triggered a massive shift in global ecology and geopolitics known as the Columbian Exchange. His voyages led to the colonization of the Western Hemisphere, a process that brought both immense wealth and profound tragedy. He remained convinced until his death that he had reached Asia, unaware that he had opened the gates to a "New World." He is perhaps the most debated and influential figure in the history of exploration.