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Jan 1, 1400
Europeans Seek New Trade Routes
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Jan 1, 1419
The Portuguese Explore Africa
Prince Henry supports exploration. He founds a navigation school on the coast -
Jan 1, 1460
Portuguese have trading posts along west coast of Africa
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Jan 1, 1488
Dias sails around southern tip of Africa
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Jan 1, 1492
A Rival Power
Christopher Columbus sails for Spain -
Jan 1, 1493
pope divides these lands between Spain and Portugal
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Jan 1, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas was signed
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Jan 1, 1498
Vasco da Gama sails to India
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Jan 1, 1499
Vasco da Gama returns to Portugal with valuable cargo
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Jan 1, 1509
Portugal takes over Indian Ocean trade
by defeating Muslims -
Jan 1, 1510
Portugal captures Goa, port city
in western India -
Jan 1, 1511
Portugal seizes Malacca, on Malay Peninsula
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Dutch set up trade headquarters at Batavia, on Java
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Japan Returns to Isolation
The Tokugawa regime unifies Japan and begins 250 years of isolation, autocracy, and economic growth. -
China Limits European Contacts
Advances under the Ming and Qing dynasties leave China uninterested in European contact.