Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer born in 1451, hoped to find a quicker route going west for trade in Asia. He also hoped to spread Catholicism in the process. His discovery of the new world inadvertently started a widespread movement of people, disease, animals, and plants, often referred to as the Columbian Exchange, having an everlasting impact on the world. Christopher Columbus, credited for discovering the present day Bahamas, started his first voyage in 1492. He thought that he could sail west from Europe to reach Asia. It took him several months to find a sponsor for his trip. Finally, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain granted him enough money for his trip. Like the many other explorers before him, Columbus also
