Christopher Columbus, born between *1447 and 1451*, discovered the Americas on October 12, 1492* when he accidentally encountered *Guanabani, one of the islands in The Bahamas while searching for a direct western route from Spain to the east. While there was evidence of people who visited Americas before he did such as Leif Erikson in the 11th century, their discoveries didn't have a major or long-lasting impacts in European culture, which is why Colombus' encounter are typically recognized as the starting point for permanent European encounters.