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1415
Portuguese seize Ceuta inspiring Henry the Navigator
Henry organized voyages along the western coast of Africa. This event is important because without it, it would have never inspired Henry to organize voyages. The voyages Henry arranged later inspired Spain. -
1484
Columbus fails to gain funds from the Portuguese
Columbus first went to the Portuguese in hopes of gaining funds to search for a trade route to the Indies. Portugal said no. The Portuguese thought Columbus was arrogant and inexperienced. -
1485
Columbus moves to Spain.
After Columbus’s father died he decided to move to Spain. From there he opened own shop supplying maps. He also began conducting more research on a new trade to the Indies. -
1486
Columbus tries to get a loan, again.
Columbus petitions his plan to the Spanish court. They said no. During this time Columbus also gets married to Dona Beatriz from Spain. -
1487
Columbus continues to try and get funds
Columbus submits his idea to King Henry VII of England. He said no. Then Columbus went to King Charles of France and proposed his idea. He said no. -
1490
Columbus finds a miracle
Through unconventional means Columbus finds himself in a private meeting with the King and Queen of Spain. This is where he once again presented hs bold idea to sail west to find a trade route to Indies. They said yes. -
Aug 3, 1492
Columbus finally gets his dream.
Columbus and 90 some marines loaded onto three ships and began sailing west. It took columbus months to reach the new land. Then he spotted land(actually present-day Cuba)which he thought was Asia. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus lands in Central America
Spain was motivated by Portugal’s early success in navigation. Spain then decides to fund Christopher Columbus to sail and find a western trade route to Asia. Columbus’ voyage later opens the Americas to European explorers. -
1493
Columbus leaves empty handed
When columbus reaches the new land he did not find all the riches and spices he promised the Spanish. He sailed island to island looking but after a few months gave up. Eventually he decided to leave a small village behind of about 40 men and returned to Spain. -
May 4, 1493
The Line of Demarcation has been set between Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal began to press rival claims to the lands Columbus explored. In 1493 Pope Alexander VI steps in to keep the peace. The Pope sets a Line of Demarcation, which will divide the non-European world into two zones. Spain has trading and exploration rights in all lands west of the line, while Portugal has the same rights east of the line. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
Agreement between Spain and Portugal over the newly discovered land.They divided up the land because they were both afraid the other would take their land. Spain was given rights to newly discovered and undiscovered lands in the region west of the line. Portuguese expeditions were to keep to the east of the line of Africa. -
Jun 7, 1494
Portugal claims Brazil
Even Though Spain continues to claim lands in South America, a large region remains outside its empire. In the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal claims Brazil and issues grants of land to Portuguese nobles. Soon European settlers move to Brazil to farm brazilwood and sugar. -
Jun 24, 1497
John Cabot lands on the east coast of North America
Cabot hoping to find a northwest passage to Asia he sets out on a voyage from England. When he finally lands on the east coast of North America he claims the land in the name of King Henry VII. The problem was he wasn't in Asia. -
May 20, 1498
Vasco da Gama reached India after rounding Africa
Although the Portuguese lose half their ships and many sailors died on the voyage, the venture is highly profitable and he returns with a cargo of spices. The importance of his voyage was that is showed Portugal can access Asian markets directly instead of through indirect overland routes. All of his decisions he makes leads him to force a treaty of cooperation. -
1502
Da Gama forces a treaty on the ruler of Calicut
Da Gama had great success in India and was able to get a new fleet. Being a Portuguese nobleman, he had a lot of say in what happened in the trade process. He left Portuguese merchants to set up trade with spice merchants. -
Apr 25, 1507
A German mapmaker named the “new world” America
A report is written about Columbus’ “New World” by the Italian sailor Amerigo Vespucci. The reports inspire the mapmaker to names the region America. The Caribbean Islands are named the West Indies. -
Aug 24, 1511
Portuguese seizes Malacca
The Portuguese began to capture key points around the Indian ocean, after Da Gama’s success in setting up a trading post. The seize allowed them to ally with Asian leaders and establish a major foothold in Asian trade routes. Portugal continues to set up a vast trading empire. -
1519
Hernan Cortes lands in America
Hernan Cortes is a Spanish explorer and Conquistador. He landed on the coast of Mexico with 600 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons. He quickly overpowered the natives. Their were provided with food, supplies, and 20 women, including an interpreter. -
1521
Spaniards capture the capital city of Tenochtitlan
The Spaniards are greatly outnumbered by the Aztecs, but they still able to capture and demolish the Aztec empire. Hernan Cortes then claimed Mexico for Spain. Their actions inspired other conquistadors to conquer other regions in the Americas. -
Sep 8, 1522
The Vittoria completes circumnavigation of the globe
The Vittoris is one of Ferdinand Magellan’s five ships. Nearly three years later after first setting out, the Vittoria arrives at SanlUcar de Barrameda in Spain. This would mean that they were the first to complete the circumnavigation of the globe. Ferdinand leads the initial expedition, but he and the other four ships did not survive the voyage. -
Aug 29, 1533
Francisco Pizarro executes the last Inca emperor
Francisco arrivies in Peru in 1532. With him inspired by the success the Cortes had, he takes advantage of the unrest in Inca. Francisco then quickly takes the Inca emperor and kills him. The Spanish spread across Ecuador and Chile, adding much of South America to Spain’s Empire. -
Jul 28, 1576
Martin Frobisher sights land in North America
He was determined to find the passage between the Atlantic Ocean and Asia. In 1576 he saw the coast of Canada. Even though he had three voyages, he was unsuccessful in finding the Northwest passage. -
English merchants found the East India Company.
A group of English merchants wanting to exploit trade in East and Southeast Asia and India formed the East India Company by royal charter. With this company, the English broke the Spanish and Portuguese monopoly of the East Indian spice trade.
This group later became involved in politics and acts as an agent of British imperialism in India. -
Dutch merchants found the East India Company
In the late 1500's, the Dutch set up colonies and trading posts around the world. A group of wealthy merchants found the Dutch East company. This furthers their quest to be the major European commercial power in the east. This company also comes in to conflict with the English East India Company. -
Spanish silver fleet sailed to Panama
The Spanish treasure fleet was a convoy system of the sea routes organized by the Spanish Empire from 1566 to 1790. The cargo fleets were used to transport a wide variety of items. On the coast of Panama after wintering in America, both fleets met at Havana, Cuba. The following Spring they returned to Spain together, which were protected by warships. -
Scotland attempts to establish colony in Panama
The Darien scheme was an unsuccessful attempt by the Kingdom of Scotland to become a world trading state by establishing a colony called Caledonia on the Isthmus of Panama on the Gulf of Darién in the late 1690’s. The aim was for the colony to have an overland route that connected the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. -
Irazu volcano erupts in Costa Rica
Irazu is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. From the top you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on a clear day. The eruption in 1723 killed thousands of people
