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1455
First Voyage
Prince Henry had sent a number of dedicated men out onto Exploring Africa and Asia, in hopes of spreading Christianity and his wealth. During the first voyage, Henry discovered the Atlantic archipelagos and claimed them. After which, he enslaved many Africans to work the lands he had seized. However, he dies shortly 5 years later. -
1462
Portuguese Colonize Cape Verde
Many explorers had searched the Atlantic seas and had discovered what is now known as Cabo Verde, an arrange of mountains that later on became a hub for a majority of the Transatlantic Slave trade. The expedition was led by Bartolomeu Dias however his brother Diogo Dias, is also credited to helping discover a few islands. -
1488
Across the Globe
Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese explorer who is now known as the FIRST European navigator to make a round trip to Africa by ship, demonstrating effective means for trade. This established a safe route for Europe to also trade with other parts of Asia. -
1492
Columbus discovers America!
Christopher Columbus was determined to set off on an expedition and find a safe water route to Asia. As determined as he was, Columbus was unfortunately unable to find a direct route from Europe to Asia, however during the exploration he happened to stumble across the Americas claiming them as land for Spain. -
1497
Dawn of Cabot
John Cabot, an Italian navigator and explorer who traveled around the coasts of North America commissioned by Henry VII of England. He had discovered and created one of the first trading routes between England and the Americas. -
1497
Vasco Da Gama
Vasco Da Gama, was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. He connected routes from Europe to Asia, allowing him be able to reach the Indian oceans. -
1500
Pedro Alvares in Brazil
Pedro Álvares Cabral was a Portuguese nobleman, navigator and explorer who is regarded as the first European to discover the lands of Brazil with his Portuguese India Armada. He was also the first to have been in all 4 continents, uniting them. -
1502
Forced Exchange
Due to Da Gama’s large success with handling India, he is able to call create a new fleet of ships. It was then he forced a treaty of cooperation with the ruler of Calicut, setting more trade shops with products such as different indigenous spices. -
1513
Spanish Explores (1)
Vasco Nunez de Balboa, a Spanish governor and conquistador who is best known for his accomplishments in reaching the Pacific Ocean, giving him the title of the first European to lead an expedition into the Pacific Ocean of the New world. -
1513
Spanish Explores (2)
Vasco Nunez de Balboa is also for establishing one of the first stable settlements on the South American continent in Darien, located near the coast of Isthmus of Panama. -
1519
Mexico for Spain
The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes had reached the coasts of Mexico in February, 1519. It was there he had met with the Aztec Empire, and fought several battles in an attempt to claim the land. He finally defeated the Aztecs in the Battle of Otumba, July 7, 1520. -
1519
Strait of Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer that led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East Indies of the Pacific Ocean in hopes of creating a new trade route. On his first voyage however, he was killed in 1921 in the battle of Mactan. The remaining survivors of his expedition continued on, and bad been the first to complete the first circumnavigation of the Earth when they returned back to Spain in 1522. -
1524
New Governor
For many of Da Gama’s contributions towards exploration and travel by sea, he was later on appointed as a governor of India, which he then later on earned the title of a Viceroy. -
1533
Fall of Inca Emperor
Francisco Pizarro, inspired by the success of Cortes and Mexico being won for Spain, Francisco travels to the land of Peru in 1532. No longer than a year later, he captures the Incan Emperor by using the unrest within the empire to his advantage. Later on, his executes the emperor giving Spain room to claim even more of South America’s land. -
1534
Visit to Canada
Jacques Cartier, French explorer and Navigator had traveled with his crew members upnorth, commissioned by Francis I to explore the land north. On his journey, Cartier was in search for gold, spices and a Northern route that led to Asia. On his first voyage, it was there he discovered and claimed Canada for France. -
1577
Tierra Del Fuego
Sir Francis Drake had voyaged in hopes of making a round trip around the world, raiding Spanish ships and ports on the way. During his travels though, he seemed have landed near the coast of what is now present day California. After while, he seized the opportunity to take this land and gave it t, increasing tension between England and Spain. -
East India Company
The East India Company was one of the most powerful corporations in it’s time was formed by a group of English merchants. With the creation of the company, the English were able to end the monopolizing of Indian spices that they were faced to experience when dealing with trade from Spain and Portugal. This company would later on serve a role in politics and was seen as an advocate of British Imperialism. -
Dutch East India Company
A few years into 1602, a new group of wealthy merchants had decided to form their own company, one they named the Dutch East India Company. It became very popular from it’s release however faced a lot of competition, as it had to compete with the English East India Company. -
Hudson and the Americas
Henry Hudson, sea explorer and navigator was hired to find an alleged rumor discussing a secret Northeast passage to China. On his journey, Hudson and his crew rode aboard Halve Maen, exploring the coasts of North America. Few months after unfortunately, his ship and all its members go missing with no detail was to how it occurred. -
Hudson Bay
Hudson set off on his third voyage funded by the Dutch East India Company that took him to the New World. Later on he would discover the river that would be given his name. On his fourth voyage, Hudson came upon the body of water now called the Hudson Bay.