John Cabot, sailing under the English flag, explored the North Atlantic coast, potentially reaching areas near Newfoundland and laying claim for England. His first voyage in 1492, funded by the Spanish crown, made landfall on October 12 in an island he named San Salvador, likely located in the present-day Bahamas.
Pre-Columbian West Indies Inhabitants and Early Explorations
For centuries, the islands of the Caribbean existed as a world apart, known to indigenous peoples who named them with intimate familiarity. This misidentification was perpetuated by mapmakers and subsequent explorers who, despite encountering cultures and environments entirely unknown to Europeans, clung to the framework of a world connected by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Pre-Columbian Inhabitants and Early Contacts Long before the ships of Columbus appeared on the horizon, the West Indies were home to sophisticated civilizations. Portuguese explorers had already pioneered routes down the coast of Africa, proving the viability of sea travel.
Pre-Columbian Inhabitants and Early Exploration of the West Indies
The Role of Transatlantic Exploration The geopolitical landscape of the late 15th century set the stage for discovery. Over the following months, he explored other islands in the chain, including Cuba and Hispaniola, claiming them for Spain and initiating sustained contact between the Old and New Worlds.
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