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Jan 1, 1346
The Black Death Kills One-Third of Europe's Population
At the time shortly before the black death, Europe was overpopulated. Because of this, the disease was able to spread easily. The black death greatly reduced the population. In turn, this resulted in many benefits to the survivors such as more land and job openings. -
Jan 1, 1390
Geoffrey Chaucer Writes a Book about How to Make and Use an Astrolabe
The astrolabe was a fantastic instrument used for navigating by the stars. It had been invented years before. Although, this book allowed the astrolabe to become more accessible to the average person. A person could make an astrolabe for themselves if they could not afford to buy one. They would also be able to learn how to properly use it on their own instead of having to find someone to teach them or damage it while trying to figure out how to use it without any proper guidance. -
Jan 1, 1400
Sailing Ships are Greatly Improved
Hundreds of years ago, airplanes did not exist. Travel by sea was the main way to explore and discover new areas since most areas that were accessible by foot had already been discovered. New improvements in sailing ships allowed people to travel farther distances in rougher conditions. One can see that these improvements obviously had an effect on the industry considering that only a few decades later, the "new world" was discovered. -
Jan 1, 1406
Ptolemy’s Map Is Rediscovered
Ptolomey’s map was one of the most accurate of its time. In fact, it was so highly thought of that it was the map that led Columbus to believe that he could reach Asia by sailing west of Europe. Had it not been for this, Columbus would have never “discovered” the Americas. Since their discovery, the Americas have held some of the most powerful countries in the world that have greatly shaped the history of the world as we know it today. -
Jan 1, 1418
A School of Navigation Is Organized by Prince Henry the Navigator
Because of this school, navigation became more accessible to the average person. Therefore, more people became navigators. Additionally, the navigators trained in this school probably were much better at their jobs because they had proper training. This advantage resulted in higher success rates and fewer disasters and tragedies. -
Jan 1, 1465
Great Improvements in Navigation by the Stars Are Made
During this time, there was not too much navigation technology out there for sailors. It was probably also very expensive. Therefore, the most common form of navigation probably involved the stars, a resource that was free and easily accessible. As more improvements were made, more explorers were most likely able to find success on lower budgets. This probably enticed more people who would have previously chosen not to, to become explorers, resulting in more discoveries in quicker time. -
Jan 1, 1492
Columbus Discovers West Indies
By discovering the West Indies, Columbus inspired countless other European expeditions to the new world. These trips led to many more discoveries in the western hemisphere. Within a few centuries, these some of these areas grew to become great international powers. Today, some of these areas remain to be some of the most powerful in the world. -
Period: Jan 1, 1496 to Jan 1, 1497
John Cabot Goes to Explore North Atlantic Region from England
Although there had been many explorers to trek the North Atlantic region before he did, John Cabot still can be credited for finding new territory. As he explored North America, he became the first European to stumble upon the portion of the continent now known as the United States. Today, the United States is one of the most, if not the most, powerful country in the world. It effects and exercises great influence over almost every country in the world. -
Period: Jan 1, 1497 to Jan 1, 1498
By Rounding the Tip of Africa, Vasco da Gama Reaches India
For many years, Europeans were only able to access Asian goods through Middle Eastern Muslim traders. Looking to get the goods without having to pay the middleman, Europeans began exploring to try to find new routes to Asia. This search is what led to the “discovery” of the Americas. By reaching India, Vasco da Gama opened up the opportunity for European traders to begin getting goods directly from Asia and cut out the extra charge caused by having to get the goods through the Middle Eastern -
Jan 1, 1498
Christopher Columbus "Discovers" the American Continent
While he wasn't the first European to stumble upon the continent, he was the first in a day and age in which the connection between the Americas and Europe could be upheld. This discovery had, and continues to have a great impact on the world. At the time, the Americas provided an area for Europe's population to expand and "new" crops, among other benefits. Today, the continents are home to some of the most powerful countries in the world. -
Jan 1, 1499
Amerigo Vespucchi Declares That South America Is a New Continent
After people learned that this definately is a new continent, it must have only reaffirmed the idea that there was still new land out there to claim. This probably caused more expeditions to try to settle the continent. During these expeditions, there had to have been times in which some of the explorers stumbled upon land that had not been discovered yet. These areas include islands that previous sailors could have missed by just a few miles. -
Jan 1, 1504
Columbus Scares a Group of Native Americans by Predicting a Total Eclipse of the Moon
By the time that the Europeans reached the Americas, they were far more advanced than the Native Americans. One of these advancements was their great achievements in the field of astronomy, including the ability to predict eclipses. The Native Americans must have been scared by this ability, most likely concluding that Columbus was the one who controlled the eclipse. At this point, the Europeans learned that the Native Americans were much easier to conquer if they were frightened by them. -
Jan 1, 1513
Balboa Discovers the Pacific Ocean by Crossing the Isthmus of Panama
By crossing the Isthmus of Panama, Balboa had not just discovered the Pacific Ocean. He had also found a new route to Asia. Europeans had long sought after a pathway to Asia so as to get Asian goods directly from the continent. In fact, had it not been for this desire, Christopher Columbus would have never crossed the Atlantic Ocean and discovered the new world. -
Jan 1, 1514
Native American Populations Begin to be Wiped Out by Smallpox
The first deaths caused by smallpox were only a mere foreshadowing of what was to come. Native American populations had not been exposed to diseases carried by the Europeans prior to European exploration. When they were first exposed the populations were decimated. Without these deaths, the Europeans may not have been able to conquer the Native Americans. -
Australia Is Discovered by Dutch Explorers
At first, Australia was mainly used by the British as a place to send prisoners. Today, Australia is one of the world's most powerful countries. It serves as a main exporter of mined fuels and minerals. It also is host to diverse plant and animal populations that have advanced the field of biology. -
Justification of 15 Events
