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Jan 1, 1418
School of Navigation started
Prince Henry started the first school for oceanic navigation along with an astronomical observatory at Sagres, Portugal. In this school, people were trained in nagivation, map-making, and science, in order to sail down the west of Africa. -
Nov 24, 1434
Gil Eanes set sail
He became the first person to sail beyond Cape Bojador and return.The discovery of a passable route around Cape Bojador marked the beginning of the Portuguese exploration of Africa. -
Period: Jan 1, 1469 to Jan 1, 1474
Fernão Gomes
he sailed along the coast of Africa Guinea coast, every year going 100 leagues further. Gomes's ships swung around the bulge of Africa, reaching the Gold and Ivory coast. -
Nov 24, 1484
Diogo Cão Discovered the mouth of the Congo River.
Discovered the mouth of the Congo River. -
Period: Aug 1, 1487 to Dec 1, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias' expedition (for Portugal)
The discovery of the passage around Africa was significant because, for the first time, Europeans could trade directly with India and the other parts of Asia, bypassing the overland route through the Middle East, with its expensive middlemen. The official report of the expedition has been lost. -
May 1, 1488
Cape of Good Hope discovered
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Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Colombus departs
Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera with three ships; one larger carrack, Santa María, and two smaller caravels, Pinta and Niña -
Period: Aug 3, 1492 to Nov 7, 1504
The Colombus voyages
He set sail from Palos, Spain. His voyage led to the discovery of the americas while sailing west in an attempt to reach Asia -
Nov 24, 1497
John Cabot (First Voyage)
Giovanni Caboto born in Genoa, citizen of Venice, sailed for England from Bristol, England, in May 20, 1497. Reached Belle Island on the northern coast of Newfoundland, on June 24, 1497. He sailed down the east coast of Newfoundland, to the southern corner, Landing only on Newfoundland, at Belle Island. He never landed again on the coast, before he returned to England on July 30, 1497 -
Period: Nov 24, 1497 to Nov 24, 1499
Vasco de Gama
sailed from Lisbon on July 8, 1497, sailed by the Cape of Good Hope, and reached India. -
Nov 24, 1499
Amerigo Vespucci
Reached brazil and explored 3000 miles of South American coast.It is believed that the word "America" comes from his name. -
Jan 1, 1500
Decline of native population in the United States
Starting in the 16th century the population of Native Americans declined in the following ways: diseases brought from Europe; genocide and warfare at the hands of Europeans, as well as between tribes; exile from their lands, enslavement, With the rapid declines of some populations and continuing rivalries among their own nations, Native Americans sometimes re-organized to form new cultural groups, such as the Seminoles of Florida and Mission Indians of Alta California. This is still seen today. -
Nov 7, 1504
Christopher Colombus returns
Columbus headed for Spain, but a storm forced him into Lisbon. He anchored next to the King's harbor patrol ship on March 4 1493 in Portugal. After spending more than one week in Portugal, he set sail for Spain. He crossed the bar of Saltes and entered the harbour of Palos on 15 March 1493. Word of his finding new lands rapidly spread throughout Europe. -
Sep 1, 1513
Nuñez de Balboa
on September 1, 1513, Balboa set of from Antigua, Panama, with 190 Spaniards and about 1,000 natives searching for a sea, that he heard of by the Indians of Panama. On September 29, Balboa and his party, walked into the Pacific Ocean, and claimed it for Spain, along with all the land that sorrounded its coast. He called the ocean, the "South Sea", since he had to walk south, from Antigua. Balboa was given credit for the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. -
Feb 18, 1519
Hernando Cortéz
Hernando Cortéz set sail to Mexico from Cuba on February 18, 1519. Along the way he added to his army, until all of the enemies of the Aztecs joined forces. When he arrived at Tenochtitlan, he had more than 5,000 men. Cortez arrested Motecuhzoma and killed him. In 1520 they retreated to Tlaxcala in 1520 to regroup. On December 28, 1520 they set out again to Tenochtitlan with a force of more than -
Period: Sep 19, 1519 to Sep 6, 1522
Ferdinand Magellan's expedition
Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigated the world. With this he proved that the earth was indeed round and Colobus never reached Asia. -
Nov 27, 1520
fall of the Aztecs
In 1520, an outbreak of smallpox swept through the population of Tenochtitlan and caused the fall of the city. It is estimated that between 10% and 50% of the population fell victim to this epidemic. The Valley of Mexico was hit with two more epidemics, smallpox and typhus. The population before the time of the conquest is unknown but the disease is known to have ravaged the region; thus, the indigenous population of the Valley of Mexico is estimated to have declined by more than 80% -
Feb 15, 1521
Juan Ponce de Leon sets sail
he set sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 15th, 1521. He went to colonize Florida, and priests to convert the Indians. He reach Sanibel Island, on the west coast of Florida, where he had a battle with the natives, received and arrow wound, that became infected. The returned to Cuba, but he died in July. -
Apr 27, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan killed
While in the Philippines he has killed by a native tribe -
Jan 17, 1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Giovanni da Verrazzano sailed from Dieppe, France on January 17, 1524. He made landfall on March 1st, 1524 at Cape Fear, southernmost of North Carolina's three capes. They sailed south for about 110 miles, and turned north, to avoid running into any Spaniards, he sailed another 250 miles north, along the coast. He explored the coasts of Georgia, North and South Carolina, and as far north as New York Bay and Arcadia. He returned and anchored at Dieppe on July 8, 1524. -
Nov 26, 1524
Francisco Pizarro (First Expedition)
Francisco Pizarro set sail from Panama, in November of 1524 in search of the "cities of gold" that the Indians talked about. In his first trp he did not recive great quantities of gold and Pizarro only went as far south as Punta Quemada, off the coast of Colombia. He sent back some of the small quantity of gold he was able to get, to keep the Governor of Panama happy, and continue his support of the expedition. -
Nov 26, 1526
Francisco Pizarro (Second Expedition)
He set sail from Panama, in 1526. After fighting the hostile natives in the jungles of Colombia and Ecuador, his partner retreated for more men and supplies, while Prizarro continued into Peru. He was able to get a glimpse of the Inca Empire and traded for some gold items. Since he only had about 1 dozen men and they were very weak, he and his Spaniards, were on their best behavior, and set the ground work, for when they would return with a greater force. -
Jan 1, 1532
Francisco Pizarro (Third Expedition)
In1528, Pizarro went to Spain, to get a royal charter to conquer the land. On 1532, they entered the Inca city of Coxamaraca. He invited the Inca ruler to meet with him, and captured for ransom. The Incas filled a room that measured 22 by 17 feet with gold for release their ruler. In the Spanish camp, there was a long debate, on the release of Atahuallpa, as promised. After some time, and rumors of an attack by the Inca, Pizarro did not did not release Atahuallpa, but had him executed. -
Apr 20, 1534
Jacques Cartier (First Voyage)
He set sail from Saint-Malo on April 20th, 1534 and made landfall at Newfoundland on May 10th. Cartier sailed all around the coast of Newfoundland, He returned on September 5th, 1534. Jacques Cartier was the first European to describe and map the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and the shores of the Saint Lawrence River, which he named "The Country of Canadas". He Claimed the area for France. -
May 19, 1535
Jacques Cartier (Second Voyage)
Jacques Cartier set sail from Saint-Malo on 1535, and sighted Funk Island on July 7th. They did not stop at Newfoundland but proceeded to explore the area of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the islands in the gulf and Canada. They sailed up the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence River. They arrived at what is now Quebec in September 10th and on October 2nd, the were at the place where Montreal is today. Sailing down the river, he wintered in Quebec. He reached Saint-Malo on July 1. Jacques Cartier -
May 25, 1539
Hernando de Soto
He had no respect for the indigenous population of Florida. His basic strategy, was to enter an Indian town, capture the chief, demand provision, then move to the next village, capture that chief, then release to chief from the previous village. During his expedition, de Soto, killed many Indians, where ever he went. They marched north from Florida, into Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Near Memphis, he built barges and crossed the Mississippi River, -
Period: Jan 1, 1540 to Dec 31, 1542
Francisco Coronado' expedition
visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542. Coronado had hoped to conquer the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. -
Nov 27, 1540
Francisco de Coronado's expedition starts
Francisco de Coronado explored New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542. Coronado had hoped to conquer the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. -
Nov 27, 1572
Fall of the Inca empire
In 1572 the last Inca stronghold was conquered, and the last ruler was captured and executed. After the fall of the Inca Empire, the new Spanish rulers brutally oppressed the people and suppressed their traditions. The Spaniards used the Inca mandatory public service system to literally work the people to death. The effects of smallpox on the Inca empire were even more devastating. Within a few years smallpox claimed between 60% and 94% of the Inca population. -
Apr 9, 1582
Robert de La Salle claimed all of the Mississippi River Basin for France
He named this area Louisiana in honor of the king. Later, in 1803, France sold this land to the United States, and that led to the explorations of Lewis and Clark and then the westward expansion of America. -
Samuel de Champlain's founding of Quebec City
On July 3, 1608 Champlain led 32 colonists to settle Quebec in order to establish it as a fur-trading center. Only nine colonists survived the first bitter winter in Quebec, but more settlers arrived the following summer. -
Henry Hudson's Expedition
After several voyages on behalf of English merchants to find Northeast Passage to India (most likely across the Great Lakes), Hudson explored the region around modern New York City while looking for a western route to Asia for the Dutch East India Company. He explored the river which eventually was named for him, and laid the foundation for Dutch colonization of the region.
