fact

If you asked most people for USA facts, they would probably remember that Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas. It’s true that he stumbled upon the continent in 1492, on a Spanish expedition which aimed to discover new trade routes, and had actually intended to reach Japan. Although Norse settlers had come across the Americas in the 11th century, Columbus’ expedition began the major European colonization of the continent. The Spanish were the first to begin settling across North and South America, but other European powers soon followed, including England, France and the Dutch Republic.