Final answer:
Christopher Columbus explored under the auspices of Spain, aiming to chart a westward trade route to Asia, and inadvertently found the Americas, leading to Spanish colonial expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus discovered San Salvador and Hispaniola while searching for trade routes for Spain. Initially, Columbus sought support from Portuguese and other European monarchs to find a westward route to Asia, but after rejections, he persuaded the Spanish monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who aimed to gain a commercial edge over Portugal and to expand Catholicism. They financed his expedition, which led to the age of Spanish exploration, and established Spain as the first to start colonies in the Americas, including Hispaniola.