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1492
Colombus "Discovers" the Americas
Columbus embarked on a journey to the new world and landed on the island of San Salvador, which is apart of the Bahamas. -
Period: 1492 to
Exploration Period
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1497
Vasco da Gama reaches India by sea
Gama was a Portugese explorer and discovered the first oceanic route to Asia from Europe, via the Indian Ocean -
1497
John Cabot reaches North America
Cabot was the first person to reach the shores of North America, and due to his allegiance to the English King, prepared the way for English occupancy in the Americas. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci
Vespucci was an italian merchant and explorer who gave the Americas their name. -
1513
Jaun Ponce de Leon
Leon was a Spanish explorer who was the first European to reach Puerto Rico in 1508, and later on Florida -
1521
Hernan Cortes reaches Mexico
The Spanish explorer, Cortes first reached Cuba in 1519 and eventually Mexico in 1521, his exploration to Mexico is commonly attributed to the destruction of the Inca and Aztec peoples. -
1522
Ferdinand Magellan Navigates to Asia
Magellan was a Spanish explorer who navigated to Asia from the Pacific coast of the Americas, but he died in the Phillipines and his crew had to journey back to Spain without him. -
1533
Francisco Pizarro
Pizarro was a Spanish explorer who was the first European to experience the Pacific ocean from the Americas -
1534
Jaqcues Cartier reaches Canada
Cartier was a French explorer who discovered and named Canada, and led to French occupation in Canada -
1580
Francis Drake Circumnavigates the entire world
Drake was the first Englishmen to journey around and map the entire world, it took him nearly 20 years.