History years 1450-1600

Christopher Columbus is born

Oct 31, 1451

Christopher Columbuswas an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. With the support of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere. Those voyages, and his efforts to establish permanent settlements in the island of Hispaniola, initiated the process of Spanish coloniza

The first printing press

Jan 13, 1454

Developed in 1454 by Johannes Gutenberg, the printing press made it possible to print many copies of a page of type quickly. Before the printing press, people had to copy books by hand. The printing press allowed books and ideas to spread across Europe.

New kingdom, Songhai

Jan 13, 1468

A new kingdom called Songhai (SONG hy) took over much of Mali in 1468. For over 100 years, Songhai continued the trade begun by the earlier kingdoms. Songhai is in Western Africa. It was one of the largest Islamic empires in history.

Juan Ponce de Leon is born

Jan 1, 1474

Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer.
Juan's goal was to find gold and a legendary "fountain of youth"
Odd Fact About Juan:
Juan named Florida after the spanish words for Easter," Pascua de Florida" (AKA feast of flowers), because it was around easter when he landed there.
He became the first Governor of Puerto Rico by appointment of the Spanish crown.

Christopher Columbus wants cash

Jan 12, 1486

In 1486, Columbus asked Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to pay for a westward voyage to Asia. Ferdinand and Isabella refused. They didn't have money for exploration at the time because they were fighting to take back southern Spain from North American Muslims.

Columbus wants cash, again

Aug 3, 1492

Six years later, Christopher Columbus asks Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand for money. This time they agreed. Spain had won the Reconquista and needed to pay for it. Ferdinand and Isabella hoped to make money from the gold and spices they believed Columbus would find in Asia. They also wanted to teach others their religon, Roman Catholism. Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain on August 3, 1492.

Hernando de Soto is born

Jan 9, 1500

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer. Hernando goal was to have wealth and power. Many believe he and his "all-volunteer army" were the first Europeans to see the Mississippi River. A vast undertaking, de Soto's North American expedition ranged throughout the southeastern United States searching for gold and a passage to China.

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado is born

Jan 9, 1510

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján (1510 – 22 September 1554) was a Spanish conquistador. Francisco had a very small goal in life, to find gold. He visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542. Coronado had hoped to conquer the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. Some of his men were the first men to see the grand canyon and live among the Pueblo Indians.

Juan Ponce de Leon sets foot in Florida

Jan 9, 1513

Juan Ponce de Leon was the first European to set foot in Florida.
He explored the coast of Florida looking for gold and gaping in awe. At the young age of 39, he named Florida after the Spanish name for Easter because it was around Easter when he landed there.

Giovanni de Verrazzano

Jan 18, 1523

Giovanni da Verrazzano (1485–1528) was an Italian explorer of North America, in the service of the French crown.
Around 1523, the Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano convinced the king, Francis I, to commission an expedition to find a western route to Cathay (China). He was the first European to discover the site of present-day New York.