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1492
Columbus Lands in the Caribbean:1492
Christopher Columbus arrives in the Bahamas, marking the start of European exploration in the America. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas :1494
An agreement between Spain and Portugal that divided new lands for exploration. -
1498
Vasco da Gama Reaches India :1498
The Portuguese explorer sails around Africa to reach India. opening up the spice trade. -
1519
Hernán Cortés Conquers the Aztecs :1519-1521
Spanish conquistador defeats the Aztec Empire in Mexico. -
1519
Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe :1519-1522
Ferdinand Magellan leads the first expedition to sail around the world. -
1532
Pizarro Conquers the Inca :1532
Francisco Pizarro leads the conquest of the Inca Empire in
Peru. -
1532
The First Successful Sugar Cane Plantation in Brazil :1532
The introduction of sugar plantations in Brazil. -
1577
Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation :1577-1580
The English privateer completes a circumnavigation of the globe. -
The Establishment of the Spanish Empire :16th Century
Spain establishes colonies throughout Latin America. -
The Dutch East India Company Founded :1602
The Netherlands establishes a trading company to control spice trade in Asia. -
The British Establish Jamestown :1607
England establishes its first permanent settlement in North America. -
The French Claim Canada :1608
Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec marking French exploration in North America. -
The British Navigation Acts 1651
Laws passed to control colonial trade and bolster the British economy. -
The Slave Trade Intensifies :17th Century
African slaves become a significant part of the labor force in the colonies. -
Treaty of Utrecht :1713
Ends the War of Spanish Succession and establishes boundaries for British and French territories. -
James Cook Discovers Hawaii :1778
British explorer maps the Hawaiian Islands and parts of the Pacific.