All people know the story of a person who discovered America. It was Cristopher Columbus, a seaman from Europe, who first came to America. That happened in 1492. In those centuries people in Europe were very interested in India and other places, situated in the east. They thought that there was a lot of gold because ships sailed to the east and came back with treasures. Columbus was also one of those who wanted to get to India. He made many sea voyages and was sure that our planet is round. So the King and the Queen of Spain gave him enough money to organise his voyage to India. He prepared three small ships and sailed to the west. After three weeks he and his crew saw land. It was an island in Central America, but Columbus didn't understand it, so he named the people who lived there Indians. Columbus was an experienced seaman.