Final answer:
Christopher Columbus made his voyage to the New World in 1492, but there is evidence that Norse explorers did so almost 500 years earlier. Despite this earlier contact, Columbus's voyages had a more significant and long-lasting impact, leading to Europe's widespread awareness of the New World.
Step-by-step explanation:
Christopher Columbus started his historic voyage to the New World in 1492. However, there is evidence that Old World people, specifically Norse explorers, had reached the New World before Columbus, almost 500 years earlier. The Norse, led by Leif Eriksson, established a temporary settlement around A.D. 1000 in what is now Newfoundland, Canada, long before Columbus's voyage. References for this are found in the Norse sagas and archaeological evidence at the site of L'Anse aux Meadows.
Nevertheless, Columbus's voyages had a more lasting impact and led to widespread knowledge of the New World in Europe. His journey in 1492 was primarily aimed at finding a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, but he landed in the Bahamas in the Caribbean instead. He thought he had reached Asia and therefore called the indigenous peoples he encountered there 'Indios' or Indians. This initial voyage was followed by three more, during which he explored various parts of the Caribbean and South America.
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