15世纪末，欧洲人想要一条更快抵达亚洲的商路，却始终被陆路的种种阻碍困扰。热那亚航海家克里斯托弗·哥伦布相信，只要坚定地一直往西航行，绕过地球，就能抵达亚洲。1492年，他说服西班牙王室资助了三艘帆船，向着未知的大西洋深处出发。

In the late 15th century, Europeans wanted a faster trade route to Asia, but were constantly hindered by the difficulties of overland travel. The Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus believed that sailing steadily westward, around the globe, would eventually reach Asia. In 1492, he convinced the Spanish crown to fund three ships and set sail into the unknown depths of the Atlantic.

经过两个多月的漫长航行，船员们几乎要放弃希望时，终于望见了陆地。哥伦布确信自己抵达了亚洲，然而他真正踏上的，其实是欧洲人此前完全不知道存在的美洲大陆——那里早已生活着数百万原住民，只是欧洲人对此一无所知。

After more than two months of grueling voyage, just as the crew was nearly ready to give up hope, land finally came into view. Columbus was certain he had reached Asia. In reality, what he had landed on was the Americas, a continent Europeans had no prior knowledge of, one already home to millions of indigenous peoples who had lived there for a long time.

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