4. Spain – Masters of the Westward Route

While Portugal focused on sailing around Africa to India, Spain looked westward—trying to reach Asia by crossing the Atlantic.

Christopher Columbus (1492)

• An Italian explorer sailing under the Spanish crown.
• He believed the Earth was round and that Asia could be reached by sailing west.
• In 1492, Columbus discovered the Americas, thinking he had reached India.
• This is why Native Americans were called “Indians”—a result of this mistake.

Although Columbus didn’t reach India, his voyage:

• Opened up the New World to European colonization.
• Gave Spain control over vast territories in North, Central, and South America.
• Shifted European focus toward the Western Hemisphere—but Spain still competed for Asian trade.