Christopher Columbus discovered the New World during his four journeys between 1492 and 1502. On his first journey, he discovered the Canary Islands, the Bahamas, Cuba and Haiti; on his second journey he found Dominica, Guadalupe and the Antilles; on his third voyage he discovered South America; and during his fourth journey he discovered Central America and Jamaica.
Even though Columbus is credited with discovering the New World, he initially believed that he had found a new route to China. Columbus was an Italian explorer who set sail for the New World on commission for the Spanish Crown, who sponsored the journeys in the hope to find a new route to the Orient.
