1492Reputable sourceWell documented
Columbus Encounters Tobacco
On the timeline · around 1492 ·
What happened
When Columbus reached the Caribbean in 1492, his crew were the first Europeans to encounter tobacco, offered dried leaves as a gift by the Taíno people. Sailors soon picked up the habit of smoking.
Why it matters
The encounter began tobacco's journey out of the Americas and around the world — one of the most consequential exchanges of the Columbian era.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. A Brief History of Tobacco in the Americas · Reputable source