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Jan 1, 1488
Portugal - Bartolomeu Dias
Bartolomeu Dias was the first explore to reach the tip of Afria or round the Cape of Good Hope which he later named Cabo Tormentoso. The significance of that trip was that it finally opened a route to India. -
Aug 2, 1492
Spain - Columbus
Christopher Columbus sails the ocean blue. He sails west along with his crew thinking that he will find a way to Asia but instead lands in San Salvador. Columbus could not find a way back to what he explored and died without knowing that he was the first to discover America. -
Jan 1, 1494
Spain - Treaty of Tordesillas
Pope Alexander VI suggests that Spain and Portugal stop the conflict between each other. Both countries then sign the Treaty of Tordesillas and divide their land. -
May 2, 1497
England - Cabot
John Cabot set sail to India with few men and on the way possibly landed on the coast of Newfoundland. In addition, he is also said to have found Nova Scotia which later became British claim. -
Jan 1, 1498
Portugal - Vasco De Gama
De Gama sets sail from Portugal and goes around Africa and reaches India. The significance of his voyage was that Portugal became more involved with exotic Arab trading and gained control of important sea ports. However, De Gama was said to have had a bad reputation for torture and attacks. -
Jan 1, 1500
Portugal - Cabral
Portuguese explorer Pedro Cabral reaches Brazil and claims the land. This extended Portugal's territory enormously and made travelling in the west much easier. -
Jan 1, 1513
Spain - Balboa
Balboa was a spanish explorer who founded the colony of Darién in Panama, Furthermore, he was the first European to ever see the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, despite his great discoveries, Balboa was later beheaded by his boss. -
Jan 1, 1519
Spain - Magellan
Magellan leaves from Spain with five ships and approximately 275 crew members to make his trip to the East by sailing west. -
Feb 19, 1519
Spain - Cortes
Cortes along with 600 men and 20 horses set sail from Cuba. He sailed along the coast of Yucatán and eventually arrived in Mexico. -
Nov 8, 1519
Spain - Cortes
Cortes arrives in Tenochtitlan with his men and burns down his ships for more motivation. Cortes captured and then killed the Aztec leader named Montezuma II and completely left the empire destroyed. -
Jan 1, 1521
Spain - Magellan
Magellan and his men finally reach the Philippines after crossing the Pacific Ocean. However, Magellan is eaten by the locals along with a few of his crew members. -
Jan 1, 1522
Spain - Magellan
Magellan's last surviving ship named The Victoria arrives in Spain with 17 members on board. They were officially the first people to circumnavigate the world. Credit is still given to Magellan since he commanded the voyage. -
Jan 1, 1533
Spain - Pizzaro
Pizzaro encounters the Incan empire where he also captures their rebel leader and proposes an exchange for gold. As promised, the Incans give Pizarro the gold but he kills their leader anyway and controls the city of Cuzco for 10 years, until he is assassinated by one of his own men. -
Jun 27, 1542
Spain - Juan Cabrillo
Juan Cabrillo set sail from Mexico and landed on the West Coast of North America which is now modern day California. He died on his return trying to save a fellow crew member who was drowning in the water. Cabrillo did receive econmiendas from the King. -
Sep 20, 1543
Francis Xavier
Xavier was the founding member of the Jesuits group which was a Catholic group. He kindly tried to spread Catholicism in the East and went to places such as India, Malay and Japan. After his great achievements and devotion to his religion, he died on his way to China due to natural causes. -
Sep 25, 1555
Gernany - Peace of Augsburg
The Peace of Augsburg was an alliance of Lutheran Princes which Charles V and Schmalkaldic signed in Ausgburg which is now known as Bavaria. -
England - Captain John Smith
John Smith set sail from England and landed in Jamestown, Virginia, on April 16, 1607 along with 105 other settlers. The significance about this discovery was that Jamestown became the first English settlement in North America. -
Germany - The Catholic League
The German Catholic League consisted of Augsburg, Constance, Passau, Ratisborn and Wuerzburg. Their representatives met in Munich were they established the league and their main rule was not to attack each other and protect the Catholic religion. -
Dutch
The Dutch establish trading headquarters on the Java Islands. They increase the wealth of the Dutch and receive very exotic items such as spices. -
Dutch
The Dutch capture the Netherland Antilles and Aruba from Spain. They created a large sea port since it was a center point of sea trade and transportation. -
Germany - Grand Alliance
The Grand Alliance was a treaty consisting of several European countries including Austria, Bavaria, England, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and the United Provinces.
