In what year did Christopher Columbus first arrive in the Americas?

Christopher Columbus first arrived in the Americas in 1492, marking a pivotal moment in history that initiated widespread exploration and colonization of the New World by European powers. His first voyage, commissioned by the Spanish Crown, aimed to find a western route to Asia but instead led to his landing in the Bahamas, which he believed was part of the East Indies. This event is often cited as the beginning of sustained European interest and subsequent colonization efforts in the Americas, fundamentally altering the course of world history.

The other years mentioned correspond to different explorations by Columbus or other explorers. For instance, 1498 is the year Columbus made his third voyage, which took him to the South American mainland. The year 1501 marks the voyage of Amerigo Vespucci, who played a significant role in understanding that the Americas were separate from Asia. Similarly, 1522 was a part of the ongoing exploration and conquests in the New World but was long after Columbus's initial discovery.