(NOTE: This is a response to a Hub request.)

... in fact, when he sailed the ocean blue in 1492, he was greeted by members of the Taino tribe on the island now known as San Salvador in the Caribbean. The Taino were, themselves, a combined population formed from the meeting of the second and third waves of exploration and conquest in the Caribbean.

Archaeological evidence and cultural traditions indicate that the Americas were continuously inhabited since at least 20,000 years before Columbus.

That honor goes to the Vikings, who came from Scandinavia. The first recorded explorer was Erik the Red, who happened upon Greenland when he was exiled from Iceland in 982 AD. Three years later, Erik returned to Greenland with 25 boatloads of colonists.

Cultural tradition held that the Vikings had also explored, and perhaps settled in, areas west of Greenland. But archaeological proof did not come to light until the early 1960s, when the ruins of a Viking village were discovered in Newfoundland.

In 986, one Bjarni Herjulfesson foundered in stormy waters, eventually sighting land to the southwest of Greenland. Bjarni survived to tell the tale. Hearing this, Erik the Red's son, Leif Erikson (aka "Leif the Lucky") launched an expedition to explore these lands further. He found a likely place to settle, and lived there for several months. Other expeditions followed, but none found lasting success. All eventually returned to Greenland.

The Viking colonies flourished in Greenland for some 500 years, then disappeared for reasons as yet unknown.

Christopher Columbus opened up a new continent to Spain and, ultimately, all of Europe. His voyages reshaped the known world.

Europeans were introduced to strange foods, exotic animals ... and a new source of gold. Caribbean natives were introduced to new diseases and alien methods of conquest and domination.

Columbus' voyages planted seeds that grew into many new nations. For the indigenous population, however, they were the beginning of a centuries-long ordeal.

Columbus' voyages planted seeds that grew into many new nations. But for the indigenous population, they marked the beginning of a centuries-long ordeal.

Columbus Day is a national holiday in the U.S., falling on the second Monday in October.

It is also a controversial day, one in which many Native Americans -- and many non-Native Americans as well -- find no cause for celebration.

The State of Hawaii does not recognize the national holiday, because Christopher Columbus played no role in discovering the Hawaiian Islands. Instead, the State of Hawaii established a state holiday -- Discoverers' Day -- celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Discoverers' Day is also controversial, since it is intended to celebrate Captain James Cook's "discovery" of the already-occupied Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands while acknowledging Columbus' role in opening the New World to Europe. "Indigenous Peoples' Day" has been touted as a substitute, and the City of Berkeley, California celebrates the day under that name.

South Dakota also does not recognize the national holiday. Their state holiday celebrates "Native American Day" on the same date.

In Nevada, it is a day of observance, not a holiday.

"Dia de la Raza" is celebrated in Mexico, Argentina and Chile.

In Venezuela the day has been celebrated as the "Día de la Resistencia Indígena/Day of Indigenous Resistance" since 2002.