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1453
The fall of the Byzantine empire by the Ottoman Turks.
One of the major effects of the the Ottoman Turks conquest, was that it cut off Europe from overland trade with Asia. This provided an incentive to find new routes to Asia especially an all water route. -
1488
Bartolomeu Dias led the first European expedition around the Cape of Good Hope.
Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese explorer, and he led the first expedition around the Cape of Good Hope. This would later open an all water route from Europe to Asia. -
Oct 11, 1492
Christopher Columbus "discovers" the Americas
Columbus believed he could reach Asia by sailing westward. He finally persuade King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to sponsor his trip in 1492. Columbus wouldn't land in India, but he would land in the Americas discovering it for Europeans. -
1497
John Cabot claims land in Canada for England.
John Cabot tied to find a short cut to Asia like Columbus did, but like Columbus he landed in the Americas. There he would claim land in Canada for England. -
1497
Vasco Da Gama become the first person to successfully sail from Europe to India.
Commissioned by the Portuguese king to find a water route to Asia, Da gama became the first person to sail directly from Europe it India. He did this by sailing around the southern tip of Africa. -
Period: 1500 to
Age of exploration
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1519
Ferdinand Magellan and his crew became the first people to circumnavigate the globe.
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who was the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean with a fleet of 5 ships in 1519. With support from King Charles I of Spain, he discovered what is now called the Strait of Magellan— a western sea route linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that also led to the Spice Islands. His journey also proved that the Earth was round. -
1521
Hernan Cortes takes Tenochtitlan
In 1519 Cortes conducted his expedition to Mexico against the orders of his superior. After fighting off Spanish forces trying to arrest him Cortes takes the capital city of the Aztecs, Tenochtitlan -
1524
Giovanni da Verrazano discovers New York Harbor
Giovanni da Verrazzano was an Italian explorer for france. He was the first European to discover and chart the Atlantic Coast of North America, including the New York Harbor -
1535
Jacques Cartier discovers Canada
Jacques Cartier was a French explorer sent by France's King Francis I to find riches and a new route to Asia. He discovered and explored St. Lawrence river and Canada on his second voyage. -
Sep 26, 1580
Sir Francis Drake finishes his sail around the globe.
Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer and a slave trader. He was the second person to successfully sail/travel around the globe. -
East Indian Company was established
East Indian Company, also known as English East India Company or United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies, was founded in December 31, 1600. They formed for the exploration of trade with East and Southeast Asia and Indian. The company acted to protect the private trading interests of its employees. -
Dutch East Indian Company established.
The Dutch East India Company was a large trading company founded in 1602 in the Dutch Republic. Their main purpose was to protect the states trading system in the Indian Ocean, support the Dutch war of independence from Spain, and participate in exploration and colonization. At their peak, they established headquarters in several different countries and traded goods such as spices, porcelain, metals, soybeans, sugarcane, and much more. -
Arrival of the Pilgrims
A group of Protestant came to America seeking religious freedom. They would sail aboard the Mayflower and land in Plymouth where they would create a settlement. -
Founding of Jamestown
Jamestown is the first permanent English settlement in the new world. The settlement was funded by the Virginia company. -
Samuel De Chaplin discovers Quebec.
Samuel De Champlain, known as the "Father of France", was a French explorer who discovered Quebec in 1608 when exploring North America in 1603. He also mapped the Atlantic Coast and the Great Lakes and discovered other areas in North America such as northern New York and the Ottawa River. -
Henry Hudson Discovers the Hudson River
On his third expedition to find a short cut from Europe to the Far East Hudson failed. On his third voyage, sponsored by the Dutch East Indian company, he also failed. Not wanting to give up just yet, he sailed west to find a "Northwest passage". Instead of finding said passage he would find and explore the Hudson River. -
The Dutch settle in present day New York and named the city New Amsterdam
Thirty families came to settle in Fort Orange. More and more people came and established a second fort at the tip of Manhattan Island. This new settlement was named New Amsterdam. -
Puritans land in Massachusetts Bay in 1630.
Puritan refugees from England settled in Massachusetts Bay forming present day Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. -
Spain begins it's conquest of the Incan empire
Francisco Pizarro, who was a Spanish explorer and a conquistador, led the Spanish conquest of Peru. He planned a trap on Atahualpa, an Inca emperor, by luring him to a feast in the honor of the emperor, and then attacked on the unarmed Incans. Pizarro and his men killed the Incans and took captive of Atahualpa, and within a short period of time, they killed him. This eventually led to a war. -
England takes control of New Netherlands.
In 1664 the English seized control of New Netherlands. New Amsterdam is renamed to New York after the Duke of York.