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Jan 1, 1450
Portugese begin boyages of exploration
-Visionary Prince Henry the Navigator sponsored a weries of explratory voyages down the west coast of Africa and out into the ocean as far as the Azores
-They were in search for African gold and pepper. (Adler et al., p. 300) -
Period: Dec 31, 1489 to
Transatlantic Slave Trade begins
Portuguese were the first to sell slaves to European nobility to work in their houses.
The slave trade began to grow when the Portuguese began to ship Africans across the Atlantic
By the mid 1530’s, Portugal had shipped numerous numbers of slave to the Spanish Caribbean and its own colony of Brazil
The trans-Atlantic trade was still mainly Portuguese until the Dutch, French, and English began to trade in the late 1500’s until slavery was gradually abolished in the eighteenth century. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus Discovers America
Although many are unsure of the actual day of the discovery history subsides that 1492 was the date of the discovery.
-The Nina, Pint, and the Santa Maria where the 3 ships he sailed during the discovery
-Rodrigo de Triana is said to be the sailor that spotted land. http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/thevoyagesofcolumbus/p/08columbusbio.htm -
Jan 1, 1498
Vasco da Gama arrives in India
Gama was the first to round the tip of Africa and sail on to India.
-He kept journals of his voyage as most sailors did of his time.
(Adler et al., p. 300) -
Apr 7, 1511
Afonso da Albuquerque
Seized the great port-depot of Malacca at the tip of the Malay peninsula. -
Period: Dec 31, 1518 to Dec 31, 1540
Spanish conquer Aztecs and Incans
The Spanish wanted the Aztec and Incans Gold on top of other merchandise they did not have.
The Spanish ultimately won due to advances in weaponry and skill of fighting war. -
Sep 28, 1522
Voyage of Ferdinand Magellan
Starting in Spain in 1519 his ship was the first to circumnavigate the world.
Reporting the world is indeed round. -
The London East India Company founded.
Also known as the British East India Company
Similar to the Dutch East India Company -
Dutch East India Company founded
This was a private firm chartered by the government.
The company had a monopoly on Dutch trading in the Pacific.
The company took over numerous Portuguese trade such as their spice and luxury trades.
(Alder et al., 303) -
English Leading Naval Power
After 2 victorious wars against the Dutch in 1650's and 1660's
