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Period: 1400 to
Age of Exploration
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Feb 3, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias arrives at Mossel Bay
Bartolomeu Dias is a Portuguese explorer, arrives at Mossel Bay, South Africa. After encountering some natives that had later attacked, they continue to sail around the cape of Africa. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was originally looking for a quicker route to Asia, but instead he stumbled upon the Caribbean Islands. Columbus initiated the expedition into the new world. -
1497
Bartolomeu Dias sails with Vasco Da Gama
Bartolomeu Dias starts sailing with Vasco Da Gama, another Portugese explorer. Their goal was to circumnavigate Africa in an attempt to try and reach India. They later separated. -
Jun 24, 1497
John Cabot discovers that island of Newfoundland
John Cabot lands on the East Coast of North America and declared the land under the ownership of the English crown. -
1498
Vasco Da Gama Leaves India
Vasco Da Gama finally left India to go back to Portugal with a few natives so that they may learn about their culture and customs. -
May 20, 1498
Vasco Da Gama Arrives in India
Vasco Da Gama Finally reached India. He was not well received by the local ruler, and tensions grew due to differing religions of the locals and Da Gama, and ignorance on his behalf. -
Jan 1, 1500
Spanish Settlers and Missionaries
A great amount of Spanish settlers and missionaries followed the conquistadors to Spain's new empire. Wherever they stepped foot upon, they established colonies. They also claimed the land and its people for their King and Church. -
1500
Bartolomeu Dias Gets Caught in a Storm
On a voyage around the southern tip of Africa, Bartolomeu Dias gets caught in a storm with the rest of his ships, in which the ships sink and Dias and the rest of his crew drown. -
1519
Hernan Cortes invading Mexico
Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador and conqueror. Hernan Cortés invaded Mexico in 1519. -
1521
Hernan Cortes conquering the Aztecs
Hernan Cortes wanted to conquer the Aztecs for gold, silver and adventure. Cortes and his Indian allies captured and demolished the Tenochtitlan.This event is important because without the conquering of the Aztecs, the Spanish's empire wouldn't have expanded. -
Sep 1, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail completely around the world. Magellan proved that the world was round and larger than thought. He also discovered new oceans and land and proved that all oceans and land masses were connected. -
1524
Vasco Da Gama returns to India
Vasco Da Gama arrived in India as the Portuguese viceroy, appointed by the king: King John III. -
Jan 17, 1524
Giovanni Da Verrazzano
Giovanni Da Verrazzano is an Italian navigator who explored the northeast coast of North America from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Maine while searching for a Northwest passage to Asia. -
Apr 20, 1534
Jacques Cartier arrives in Newfoundland
Jacques Cartier arrives at the coast of what is now known as Newfoundland, in Canada, in hopes of finding gold. He explores the coast and returns to France after capturing two natives. -
1541
Cartier returns to Canada
Jacques Cartier returns to what is now known as Canada, and establishes a camp while waiting for colonists to arrive. After the winter, however, he decided to go back to France before the colonists arrived. -
Dec 13, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake left Plymouth with his fleet to continue raiding Spanish holdings. -
Sir Walter Raleigh
The first English colony (Roanoke) was founded by Sir Walter Raleigh -
The East India Company
The East India Company is an English company formed in 1600 to develop trade in India and southeastern Asia. It eventually controlled large areas of India. -
The Dutch East Indian Company
The Dutch East Indian Company is a company whose main purpose was trade, exploration, and colonization -
Duyfken
A small Dutch ship named Duyfken sets sail and later becomes the first European ship to reach Australia -
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson and his crew discover the Hudson River. -
Abel Tasman
Abel Tasman becomes the first European Explorer to sight New Zealand, though he never landed. -
Jacob Roggeveen
Jacob Roggeveen discovered Easter Island on Easter Sunday.
