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1488
Portuguese round the Cape of Good Hope
This is Important because now the Portuguese will eventually start trading in the Indian Ocean, and competing with other merchants. -
1492
Columbus’s first expedition
This is very important because it is when the “New World” was found. -
1509
First Spanish colonies on Latin American mainland
This is important because the Spanish would remain in the Americas for a long time and use the land to their advantage to make a profit. -
1562
Britain begins its slave trade
This is important because the British colonies imported a lot of slaves, having a detrimental effect on Africa. -
British defeat Spanish Armada
This is important because it represents the shift in power from Southern Europe to Northern Europe -
Japan begins isolation policy
This is important because now Japan would not have contact with the developing world and could possibly not develop at the same pace or have the same innovations. -
First permanent British colony in Virginia
This is important because, the British would eventually rule over much of the North American Atlantic Coast, and then eventually much of North America as well. The British colonies would also become the United States. -
Dutch launch colony in Southern Africa
This is important because this Dutch colony would cause strife between the Africans who lived there all through the 1950s with apartheid. Even though the Dutch didn’t own that colony forever, their impact would last. -
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Seven Years War
This is important because it gave England many colonies, namely, much of French North America. -
Period: to
American Revolution
This is important because this is when the United States was formed.