Did columbus start the first spanish colony in the new world?

In 1492, Columbus sailed west from Spain in search of a route to Asia. Instead, he landed in the Bahamas, becoming the first European to set foot in the Americas. Although other Europeans had explored the region before, Columbus's voyage sparked a wave of exploration and colonization that lasted for centuries. Spain quickly claimed the territory that Columbus had discovered, and began establishing colonies there. The first Spanish colony in the Americas was founded in 1502, on the island of Hispaniola. Columbus himself helped to establish this colony, known as Santo Domingo. It soon became the base for Spanish operations in the Americas, and grew into a thriving city. Other Spanish colonies followed, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. The Spanish empire in the Americas eventually extended from Florida to Chile and Argentina. The colonists brought over African slaves to work in the mines and on the plantations, which greatly enriched Spain. For centuries, the Spanish colonies in the Americas were some of the most prosperous and powerful in the world. However, they also brought great misery to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, who were often forcibly displaced or enslaved. Columbus's legacy is thus a mixed one, and he remains a controversial figure to this day.