Part 4/17:
Columbus, born in Italy around 1451 (with recent evidence suggesting Sephardic Jewish roots), set sail in 1492 after years of lobbying European monarchs. His voyage aimed to find a westward route to Asia but instead led to the European "discovery" of the Americas. The initial contact with the Taínos was marked by curiosity and cautious cooperation. Columbus described the Taínos as gentle, hospitable, and generous, sharing food and gifts. He dubbed their land Hispaniola, meaning "Little Spain," imagining it as a new route to the Indies. He established the first settlement called La Navidad after his shipwreck, and later named the island Haiti (meaning "mountainous land") and Kiskeya.