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Jan 1, 1492
Late 15th Century Italy
1492: Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer from Genoa, sails under the Spanish flag and discovers the Americas, believing he has found a new route to Asia.
1494: The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, dividing the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal. This agreement was influenced by the prominent role of Italian navigators and cartographers -
Jan 1, 1500
16th Century Italy
1500: Amerigo Vespucci, embarks on voyages to the New World and later suggests that these lands are a new continent, leading to the term "America" being derived from his name.
1513: Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer, sails for France and becomes the first European to explore the Atlantic coast of North America.
1524: Verrazzano explores the coastline from North Carolina to Newfoundland, including New York Harbor. -
Jan 1, 1565
Late 16th Century Italy
1565: The establishment of St. Augustine in Florida by the Spanish, with Italian influence through explorers and soldiers.
1580s: Giovanni Battista Ramusio publishes "Navigationi e viaggi," a collection of travel accounts that promotes exploration and includes accounts of Italian explorers. -
Early 17th Century Italy
1600: The establishment of the Compagnia delle Indie, which included Italian merchants and explorers seeking to engage in trade and exploration.
1610: Galileo Galilei, while primarily known for his contributions to science, also enhances navigation through improvements in cartography and astronomical tools.