Exploration and Contact Timeline

Zheng He takes first voyage

Jan 1, 1405

China sent Zheng He on his first voyage. In all 7 of his voyages Zheng He traveled with gigantic fleets.

Prince Henry founds first navigation school

Sep 17, 1419

In order to expand Portugese exploration Prince Henry developed navigation schools.

Ming China adopts isolationist policy following Zheng He’s seventh voyage

Sep 17, 1433

Ming China ends exploration and begins to construct the wall of China in an attept to isolate them from the rest of the world.

Christopher Columbus lands in Hispaniola

Sep 17, 1492

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. He founded new world in a attept to reach Asia.

Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas

Sep 17, 1494

The Pope in an attept to end all hatred between Portugal and Spain divided the land and they signed the Treaty of Tordesillas.

Vasco da Gama reaches India

Sep 17, 1498

Vasco de Gama discovered a route from Western Europe to Asia by sea.

Tokugawa Ieyasu becomes shogun of Japan

Sep 17, 1603

Tokugawa Ieyasu unifies all of Japan by force and then become the shogun.

Manchus establish Qing Dynasty in China

Sep 17, 1644

The Manchus go to war with Ming Dynasty and come out successfull and begin developing the Qing Dynasty.