533 years ago today, on April 17, 1492 (March 21, 1492 lunar calendar), Spain and Columbus signed a contract allowing him to sail to Asia to buy spices. Christopher Columbus (c. 1451-1506), Italian navigator. Born in Genoa, Italy, died in Valladolid, Spain. He engaged in seafaring activities all his life. Immigrated to Portugal and Spain successively. He believed in the spherical theory of the earth and believed that from Europe, the West could reach India and China in the East. With the support of the king of Spain, he made four voyages (1492-1493, 1493-1496, 1498-1500, 1502-1504). Opened up a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. Arrived in the Bahamas, Cuba, Haiti, Dominica, Trinidad and other islands. First landed on the American continent on the southern shore of the Bay of Paria. Examined the coastline of Honduras reaching Lian Bay for more than 2,000 kilometers in Central America; learned about the Isthmus of Panama; discovered and took advantage of the wind direction changes in the Atlantic Ocean with easterly winds at low latitudes and westerly winds at higher latitudes. Proved the correctness of the earth spherical theory. Promoted the connection between the Old World and the New World. He mistook the New World for India and called the locals Indians. On April 17, 1492, Columbus, a Spanish and Italian navigator, signed a contract allowing him to sail to Asia to buy spices. Columbus was appointed commander of the discovery land and received one-tenth of all the goods and wealth of the discovery land, tax-free. Columbus also received one-eighth of the profits from ships that later passed through these territories. On August 3, 1492, Columbus set out from the Spanish port of Barros with three sailboats and 87 crew members, sailing due west in the little-known Atlantic Ocean, and then changing course to the southwest. On October 12, after 70 days of arduous sailing, Columbus reached Watlin Island in the Bahamas, and then Haiti. Columbus declared the land he found to be the domain of the Spanish king and established a stronghold in Haiti. This day was later designated as a national day by Spain. On October 28, Columbus arrived in Cuba. In January 1493, Columbus led the fleet to leave Haiti. On March 15, Columbus returned to Spain. In 1494, the Spanish established the first colonial center on the island of Haiti, Santo Domingo. On May 3, 1494, Columbus discovered Jamaica on his second voyage.