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1000 BCE
The Discovery of Newfoundland by the Vikings
Leif Erikson a explorer, is believed to have reached the shores of North America around the year 1000, long before Columbus. -
1488
The First Circumnavigation of Africa
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, establishing a sea route to the Indian Ocean -
1492
Christopher Columbus's First Voyage
On August 3, 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain with three ships to find a westward route to Asia. Instead, he reached the Caribbean islands, which are modern day Bahamas marking the first contact between Europeans and the Americas. -
1493
Columbus’s Second Voyage
Columbus returned to the New World for a second voyage, bringing more settlers and establishing the first Spanish colony in the Americas on the island of Hispaniola -
1494
The Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was an agreement between Spain and Portugal, by the Pope, that divided the new discovered lands outside Europe between the two countries along a meridian. Spain claimed the Americas while Portugal focused on Africa, Asia, and Brazil. -
1495
Amerigo Vespucci’s Voyage
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer who sailed to the Americas around the same time as Columbus. He realized that the lands Columbus had found were not part of Asia, but a new continent altogether.led to the continent being named "America" after him. -
1497
John Cabot’s Voyage to North America
John Cabot, an Italian navigator sailing to England, made landfall in North America, possibly in Newfoundland, making it the first English exploration of the Americas. -
1498
Vasco da Gama Reaches India
Vasco da Gama became the first European to sail to India by rounding the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa and reaching the Indian continent -
1498
Columbus’s Third Voyage
In 1498, Columbus sailed on his third voyage to the New World. He explored the northern part of South America, including the area of present day Venezuela. but, his voyage was not successful, and he got arrested and sent back to Spain -
1500
The Establishment of Spanish Colonies in the Americas
Spain began establishing colonies in the Americas, starting with Hispaniola, Spanish settlers built cities, grew crops, and began trading gold and other goods. -
1500
Cabral's Discovery of Brazil
Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral accidentally discovered Brazil while on a voyage to India claiming it for Portugal. -
1503
The Establishment of the Spanish Encomienda System
The Spanish crown introduced the encomienda system, which allowed Spanish settlers to receive land and enslave Native Americans in exchange for converting them to Christianity. -
1513
The Discovery of the Pacific Ocean
Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World -
1513
The Discovery of the Pacific Ocean
Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the New World. -
1514
Bartolome de las Casas and the Protection of Native Rights
Spanish missionary Bartolome de las Casas fought for the humane treatment of indigenous people in the Americas criticizing the system and slavery. -
1519
The Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs
Led by Hernan Cortes Spanish men overthrew the Aztec Empire, capturing Emperor Moctezuma and eventually destroying lots of stuff. The conquest was helped by alliances with close tribes and superior weaponry. -
1519
Ferdinand Magellan’s Expedition
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, was sailing to get to Spain, and embarked on the first expedition to get around the globe. Magellan was killed in the Philippines, but his crew, led by Juan Sebastián Elcano, completed the journey. -
1526
The First Slave Ship from Africa to the Americas
The first African slaves were brought to America, marking the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade, which would last for centuries. -
1532
The Inca Empire Conquered by Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro led an expedition that captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa and took control of the Inca Empire in modern day Peru. -
1565
The First Permanent European Settlement in the Americas
Spain established the first permanent European settlement in the Americas at St. Augustine, Florida, led by Pedro Menendez de Aviles.