Columbus's crew spotted the towering palm trees and lush greenery of an unfamiliar land, thinking they'd finally reached the East Indies. The Italian explorer, convinced he'd navigated to Japan, stepped ashore in present-day Cuba, October 28, 1492. With a mixture of excitement and confusion, Columbus and his men encountered the Taino people, trading goods and learning about the native way of life. Though far from his intended destination, this chance encounter marked the beginning of a new era in cross-cultural exchange and the reshaping of the Americas.