During Christopher Columbus's fourth voyage, he landed on the island of Martinique, which is located in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea. This voyage was critical for Columbus as he aimed to find a route to Asia, motivated by the lucrative spice trade and the wealth of the region. Upon reaching Martinique, Columbus and his crew made contact with the indigenous Caribs. The Caribs were known for their resistance to European colonization and had interactions with other European explorers prior to Columbus's arrival. This early encounter set the stage for the complex dynamics that would unfold between native populations and European colonizers over the following decades. Columbus's determination to explore these islands stemmed from his previous voyages, where he had already made landfall in the Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola. In Martinique, Columbus would briefly explore the island before continuing his journey. His exploration efforts would serve to plant Spanish interests firmly in the Caribbean and influence subsequent missions across the New World, highlighting how this interaction would begin the age of European colonization in the Americas.