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Portugal was the first to launch exploratory expeditions. They landed in India after multiple attempts. -
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Prince Henry from Portugal commissions a journey around what they call Africa’s “Cape of Good Hope” in order to reach Asia. They began journey takes multiple attempts before they finally reached India. -
Christopher Columbus from Spain went on a voyage in search for the East Indies. He instead discovered the Caribbean. -
Columbus set sailed from Spain with three small ships and landed on the Bahama island of Guanahaní, which he renamed San Salvador. -
Henry VII of Britain was encouraged by news of Coloubus’ voyage and allowed Cabot and his three sons to sail for western trade routes to Asia. -
Great Britain sought a Western route to Asia for trade but instead, John Cabot founded Canada and New England -
Juan Ponce de Leon explored and claimed Puerto Rico and “La Florida” for Spain. -
Portugal lead mission to South America. They began to establish colonies there once they reached it. -
Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, found a strait leading westward which was extremely difficult to navigate. Eventually, Magellan sailed into the open ocean away from land. The ocean was calm which gave Magellan the idea to name the ocean the Pacific -
France join the race later than the others, but explored North America at great lengths -
Sieur de Robervall from France was the first to captain a meaningful attempt by the French to establish a permanent settlement in North America. he was able to take over a camp left by Cartier at present-day Québec. The settlers then remained in North America for one brutal winter before returning to France. -
Spain began to send voyages regularly in order to acquire gold and silver from the Caribbean to stimulate the Spanish economy -
Francis Drake passed through the Strait of Magellan and looted Spanish settlements on the Pacific coast which gave Great Britain 5,000 percent on their investment and added more than a quarter of a million pounds to the Queen's coffers. -
Great Britain began establishing colonies in eastern North America in locations such as Roanoke, Jamestown, and others. -
France begin to found cities in Canada after landing their like Quebec, Trois-Rivières, and Montreal -
Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec and mades numerous Atlantic crossings in order to promote New France.