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1488
Bartolomeu Dias
Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias, was the first European to travel around the southern tip of Africa, which opened the sea route from Europe to Asia. -
1488
Age of Exploration begins
Prince Henry the Navigator launched the first wave of expeditions to find new trade routes. These expeditions ultimately reached as far as the Atlantic Ocean and western Africa. -
1492
Discovery of the New World
Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, made a journey hoping to find a new trade route to India, but instead found the New World (North America). -
1494
Treaty of Toredesillas
This treaty divided the New World, or the Americas, between Spain and Portugual. This settled the conflicts over territory that was newly explored by Christopher Columbus. -
1497
The English expeditions begins
The first series of English missions exploring North America was led by John Cabot, an Italian navigator and explorer. The Spanish did not have any interest with North America, since it did not have many resources as Central America did. So the English began to explore the northern Americas hoping to find an oceanic Northwest Passage for trade with Asia. -
1499
Vasco da Gama
Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, was the first European to go around southern Africa to reach India by seas. This opened up direct trade with Asia. -
1500
Brazil’s discovery
Portuguese sea captain, Pedro Cabral, lands in South America, and finds an unclaimed territory that would later be named Brazil. -
1521
Aztec Empire falls
Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, forcefully overthrew the last great native empire in Mesoamerica. -
1533
Inca Empire falls
A group of Spanish conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, conquered the largest Pre-Columbian American empire. The spread of new diseases that came from Europe, and the civil unrest from the two ruling brothers at the time, contributed to the fall of this empire. -
1534
Jacques Cartier
French sailor, Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence river. His discoveries and expeditions would later contribute to French claims on North America. -
1580
Francis Drake
English naval commander, Francis Drake, fully navigates the whole globe, claims territory in the New World that would eventually become California, and he also contributed to the defeat of the Spanish Armada. -
The East India Company was created
This was an English company founded for the purpose of exploitation of trade with eastern Asia and India. -
The Dutch East India Company was created
This main purpose of this company was to explore, colonize, and trade. It was a very successful, and large company. At its peak, it had several headquarters established in many countries, control over the spicy trade, and governmental powers, which included the ability to colonize, and to persecute. -
Australian continent is discovered
Dutch navigator, and colonial governor, Willem Janszoon, traveled to the Pennefather River on the western side of Cape York in Queensland. This was the first European contact in Australia. -
English colonization
The first established English colony was the Colony of Virginia. Which notably includes the Jamestown, and Plymouth colonies. -
France colonization
French explorer, Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec, which would be France’s first permanent settlement in the New World. -
Half Moon sails to the Hudson River
Led by Henry Hudson, Half Moon lands in the Hudson River, which provided the basis of Dutch Colonization in the New World. -
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English explorer that helped expand the map of previous explorations made by Giovanni da Verrazano. He was sent by the Dutch East India Company. Along with four other voyages, he impacted the knowledge of known areas in the New World, and the seas. -
Dutch commercial empire falls
The English seizes the Dutch colony of New Netherland, and renamed it New York. The Dutch West India Company later went bankrupt. -
Invention of the marine chronometer
British cabinetmaker and inventor, John Harrison, invents a clock that would help sailors navigate the seas. It would be able to function on rolling boats, unlike the pendulum clock. -
HMS Endeavour
The HMS Endeavour leaves Portsmouth, England to start a series of expeditions led by Captain James Cook. Their expeditions would span over 10 years, and would cover the whole globe three times. They mapped several countries including Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands.
