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Long before European arrival, the Americas were home to sophisticated civilizations. The Maya built incredible pyramid temples, the Aztecs created floating gardens in Tenochtitlan, and the Inca constructed Machu Picchu. These indigenous peoples developed advanced mathematics, astronomy, and agricultural techniques.

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Indigenous peoples across North America lived in diverse communities. The Iroquois formed powerful confederacies, while Plains tribes developed rich cultural traditions. They were skilled farmers who cultivated corn, beans, and squash - known as the 'Three Sisters'.

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Christopher Columbus departed from Palos, Spain with three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa María. The brave crew of 90 men set out to find a western route to Asia. They didn't know they would change world history forever!

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October 12, 1492: First Landing in the Americas

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October 12, 1492: First Landing in the Americas

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After a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean, Columbus and his crew landed on an island in the Bahamas, which he named San Salvador. Though he believed he had reached Asia, he had actually arrived in what Europeans would call the 'New World'.

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Columbus returned to the Americas with 17 ships and 1,200 men. This time, he explored more Caribbean islands and established the first European settlement in the Americas on Hispaniola (modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic).

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On his third voyage, Columbus reached Trinidad and explored the northern coast of South America. He became the first European to set foot on the American mainland, though he still believed he had reached Asia.

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During his fourth and final voyage, Columbus explored Central America, including Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. He searched unsuccessfully for a passage to Asia, still unaware he had found a new continent.

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German mapmaker Martin Waldseemüller created a world map where he labeled the New World as 'America' after explorer Amerigo Vespucci. Vespucci was among the first to realize these lands were actually a new continent, not Asia.

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Portugal, led by explorers like Pedro Álvares Cabral, began their own voyages to the Americas. In 1500, Cabral claimed Brazil for Portugal, beginning a long period of Portuguese influence in South America.

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Following Columbus's voyages, other European nations sent explorers to the Americas. John Cabot explored North America for England, while Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed for France. This began an era of European exploration and colonization.