The year 1492 is significant in European exploration primarily due to Christopher Columbus's first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, which led to the European awareness of the American continents. Sponsored by Spain, Columbus set out to find a western route to Asia but instead stumbled upon the Caribbean islands, marking the beginning of sustained European exploration and colonization of the Americas. This pivotal event initiated extensive exchanges between the Old and New Worlds, known as the Columbian Exchange, which had profound effects on global trade, demographics, and the social fabric of societies, irrevocably transforming the course of history.