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Jan 1, 1456
Portugal-Dacadamosto
Luigi Da Cadamosto discovers Cape Verde Islands for Portugal. This was important as the islands later became a major station in the Transatlantic slave trade. -
Jan 1, 1491
Portugal- Bartholomeu Diaz
Bartholomeu Diaz was the first European to circle the southern tip of Africa. This was significant as it provided a new ocean route around the continent, leading to future explorations into cheaper trade routes. -
Oct 12, 1492
Spain-Columbus
Christopher Columbus makes his first voyage to the Americas, funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. This trip was significant because he was the first explorer to find the New World, even though he believed it to be India. -
Jun 7, 1494
Spain-Treaty of Tordesillas
This treaty divded the world between Portugal and Spain, giving Portugal the eastern part including Africa, while Spain got the western part, which consisted of all of the New World, except for Brazil. This treaty was important as it decreased most of the strife between the two countries. -
May 2, 1497
England-John Cabot
John Cabot discovers Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and claims it for England. This led to later British claims of North America. -
May 20, 1498
Portugal- De Gama
Vasco De Gama reaches India, after successfully taking an ocean route around the southern tip of Africa. This was very important because it provide a faster and much cheaper trade route than the land route through Italy and the rest of Europe and Asia. -
Jul 31, 1498
Spain-Columbus
Columbus discovers Trinidad on his third voyage. This is important due to the fact that more land was claimed for Spain. -
Apr 22, 1500
Portugal-Pedro Cabral
Pedro Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal. This was important as Portugal increased it's land claims in South America. -
May 31, 1501
Portugal-Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo claims that the piece of land Columbus found was a New World, and wasn't part of Asia. He was important because the continent was later named America, after him. -
Dec 13, 1519
Spain-Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan sails around South America. This is important because he was the first man to accomplish this feat at the time, expanding ocean routes to different regions. After two years, he managed to reach Philippines, though he was killed there. But, his crew continued on and managed to reach their starting point, making it the first voyage to circumnavigate the world. -
Aug 5, 1521
Spain-Hernan Cortes
Cortes conquers the Aztec empire. This was important because his arrival eventually led to the fall of one of the greatest empires in the Americas. -
Jul 8, 1524
France-Giovanni De Verrazano
Giovannai de Verrazano discovers New York harbor. He was the first man to find this. -
Apr 21, 1526
India-Babur
Babur wins the 1st Battle of Panipat. He became the first emperor of the empire. This was a significant event it help lay the foundation of the Mughal empire. -
Sep 8, 1533
Spain-Pizarro
Pizarro conquers the Incan empire. This was important because his arrival eventually led to the fall of the empire, because after acquiring the wealth he needed for Spain, he executed Atualhulpa. -
Sep 5, 1534
France-Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier founds Montreal, which was important as it was one of the first French colonies. -
Jan 1, 1556
India-Akbar
Akbar takes over the Mughal empire and expands it to a great extent. During his reign, India prospered the most and he ruled with tolerance and diplomacy. -
England_-John Smith
Captain John Smith founds the first English colony in North America, called Jamestown. It later became the first permant settlement by the British. -
French-Champlain
Samuel De Champlain founded Quebec. This was important as it became the base of France's colonial empire in North America, known as New France. -
Netherlands-Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson explored three water ways, that were later named after him, called the Hudson River, the Hudson Bay and the Hudson Strait. This was important because the Dutch later claimed the region along these waterways, establishing trade posts along the coast, and trading with the Iroquois. -
England-Pilgrims
The Pilgrims founds Plymouth, the second English colony in North America. It was a place that provided freedom for religious liberty seekers. -
Netherlands-Permission to Colonize
The Dutch government granted the Dutch merchants' company, called the Dutch West India Company, the permission to colonize the region and expand the fur trade. The Dutch holdings in North America were then called New Netherland, and later this colony opened up to all sorts of people, and more dutch as well as Germans, French, Scandinavians and other Europeans moved in, promoting cultural diversity at the time. -
France-Sieur de La Salle
De La Salle claims the entire river valley for France, and names it Louisiana in honor of the French King, Louis XIV. This expanded the French empire considerably, and after a couple of years, New France covered much of modern-day midwestern United States and eastern Canada. -
India-British rule
British rule begins in India, starting a new era and way of life for Indians. This led to later conflicts and the uprising involving Mahatma Gandhi. -
India-British Education Begins
British educational institutes as well as the British educational system starts in India, transforming the academic curriculum and leaving a strong system that still stands today in modern-day India.
