Christopher Columbus was born in Italy in 1451 and grew up in a merchant family. He became interested in sailing as a teenager and made many voyages to Africa and Asia, gaining knowledge of ocean currents and trade routes. In 1492, Columbus received funding from the Spanish monarchs to sail west in search of a route to Asia. On his first voyage, he landed in the Bahamas instead of Asia, believing he had reached India. He established a settlement and returned to Spain with goods and native captives. His voyages opened the Americas to European colonization but had disastrous effects on native populations through disease, violence and exploitation. Columbus died in 1506 still believing he had reached Asia.