Final answer:
Christopher Columbus's plan was to sail from Europe to Asia to find a quicker trade route to the East Indies, but instead, he reached the Caribbean segment of North America. Despite making four voyages, Columbus died believing he had reached Asia, not realizing he had discovered a new continent, which was later named America.
Step-by-step explanation:
Christopher Columbus created a plan to sail from Europe to Asia. His intent was to find a quicker maritime route to the East Indies to enhance trade and avoid the overland routes that were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, which were expensive and perceived as dangerous. Initially, Columbus sought support for his plan from Portugal, but was rejected because Portugal's Bartholomeu Dias had already discovered a route to Asia around the bottom of Africa. Eventually, Columbus convinced King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to sponsor his voyage. In 1492, he set sail from Spain, and after a brief stop in the Canary Islands, he reached the Bahamas, which he believed to be the Indies. Columbus went on to explore parts of the Caribbean, including Cuba and what is now known as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Despite his four voyages to the so-called 'New World', Columbus died believing he had reached Asia, not recognizing that he had in fact encountered a previously unknown continent—America.