European Explorers

By hippofan
  • Period: Jan 1, 1450 to

    Explorers Timeline Project

  • Jan 1, 1454

    First Printing Press Invented

    First Printing Press Invented
    Johannes Gutenburg invented the first printing press in what is now Germany. He made the printing press so people can copy things like important papers or books.
  • Jan 1, 1487

    Bartolomeu Dias explores cost of West Africa

    Bartolomeu Dias explores cost of West Africa
    Portugese sailor, Bartolomeu Dias, was sailing on the coast of West Africa when a storm hit him! But the storm carried him around the tip of Africa and reached India. They named the tip of Africa, The Cape of Good Hope, and also proved people can sail to India and Asia by water.
  • Oct 1, 1492

    Christopher Colombus sails to the Americas

    Christopher Colombus sails to the Americas
    Christopher was a sailor from Italy that thought the best way to sail to Asia was to go west from Spain. When he tried to prove the people that they could go by boat to Asia his way, he landed in America instead!
  • Jan 1, 1498

    Vasco da Gama led first Portugese voyage to India

    Vasco da Gama led first Portugese voyage to India
    Vasco da Gama explored the cost of West Africa so people can go to India or Asia by boat. Vasco da Gama did something similar to Bartolomeu Dias' journey, but he went in a different route.
  • Jan 1, 1513

    Vasco Nunuz de Balboa crossed Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean

    Vasco Nunuz de Balboa crossed Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean
    In 1513, Vasco Nunez de Balboa looked up from a peak and saw what is now the Pacific Ocean. He crossed Panama and reached the Pacific so he can gather gold and pearls.
  • Jan 1, 1513

    Ponce de Leon reaches Florida

    Ponce de Leon reaches Florida
    Ponce de Leon was the first European explorer to explore Florida. He explored Florida so he can find the fountain of youth.
  • Jan 1, 1519

    Cortes leads an expedition to Mexico

    Cortes leads an expedition to Mexico
    Cortes led an expedition to Mexico. He did this so he can have more power and conquests.
  • Nov 1, 1520

    Ferdinand Magellan names the Pacific Ocean

    Ferdinand Magellan names the Pacific Ocean
    Ferdinand Magellan's crew was the first to circumnavigate the world. He proved that he could sail around the world. When he reached the Pacific Ocean, he named it the Pacific Ocean. Pacific means peaceful. When he first saw the ocean, the waves were very calm and small compared to the other oceans he had crossed.
  • Jan 1, 1521

    Cortes defeats Aztecs

    Cortes defeats Aztecs
    Cortes defeated the Aztecs so can have more power and land. He also defeated the Aztecs so can get rich with more gold.
  • Jan 1, 1565

    Pedro Menendez de Aviles finds settlement in St. Augustine

    Pedro Menendez de Aviles finds settlement in St. Augustine
    Pedro (my way of shortening his name) lead an expedition to Florida. Shortly after they landed, they found a settlement. They named it after St. Augustine of Hippo. The final name for the settlement was agreed on St. Augustine.