Final answer:
Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain on August 3, 1492, seeking a westerly sea route to India. His voyage was financed by Spanish monarchs after the main routes to the East fell into Muslim hands. Columbus ended up discovering the Americas but never reached India.
Step-by-step explanation:
Christopher Columbus set sail on August 3, 1492, in search for a westerly sea route to India. He embarked on his journey from Spain, sponsored by the Spanish monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. Columbus, along with his crew and three ships, briefly stopped in the Canary Islands, and then resumed their voyage on September 6. About five weeks later, they reached the Bahamas, which Columbus mistakenly thought to be a part of Southeast Asia known as the Indies.
Columbus's journey was sparked by the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, which left the known routes to the East, rich with desirable spices and other goods, solely under Muslim control. This occurrence incited an even greater desire among Europeans to find new routes to the Eastern lands. Columbus's exploratory voyage was a part of this broader historical context.
Despite his efforts, Columbus never reached India via his westerly route, but his voyages opened up the Americas for exploration and eventual colonization by Europeans. Although his journey didn't fulfill its intended aim, it significantly impacted the course of world history.
Learn more about Christopher Columbus's voyage