North America

Leif Erison visits Newfoundland in search of timbers to build homes on Greenland

Oct 4, 1000

Prince Henry the Navigator is born in Portugal

Sep 30, 1394

Portuguese sailors, sent by Prince Henry begin the age of Exploration

Sep 30, 1419

Portuguese sailors reach the Island of Madeira off the coast of Africa.

African slaves captured by Portuguese

Sep 30, 1441

Captured Africans are brought back to Portugal as slaves.

Death of Prince Henry the Navigator

Sep 30, 1460

Portuguese explorers have reached Sierra leone on the West Coast of Africa.

Christopher Columbus reaches the Bahamas, after sailing successfully across the Atlantc.

Sep 30, 1462

He believes he has reached islands off the coast of Asia.

Bartolomeu Dias, a Portuguese navigator, becomes the first Europen to sail around the tip of Africa.

Sep 30, 1487

Dias sails around Cape of Good Hope.

Sep 30, 1487

Portuguese Explorer Bartolomeu sails around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.

Discovery

Sep 30, 1492

Columbus sets foot as the first European on the North American continent.

Ponce DeLeon Explores Florida

Sep 26, 1493

Ponce DeLeon explores Florida looking for the fountain of youth

Columbus makes second voyage to New World.

Sep 30, 1493

Colombus makes the trip with 17 ships and 1,000 male colonists.

Vasco DaGama Sails to India

Jul 8, 1497

Vasco DaGama is first European to sail to India

John Cabot reaches the St. Lawrence River

Oct 4, 1497

He is the first Englishman to oficially explore the New World.

Vasco DaGama establishes a route to India

Oct 4, 1497

He becomes the first European to sail around Africa and reach India as a trade route.

The Reformation begins

Oct 4, 1517

Martin Luther posts his 95 theses on the door of a Catholic Church to spark a split that brings about Protestantism.

Magellan sails around world

Nov 1, 1522

Magellan becomes first person to sail around the world

Giovanni da Verranzo sails into New York Harbor

Oct 4, 1524

A modern bridge spans the gap that is name after the explorer.

Jacques Cartier claims modern day Canada for France

Oct 4, 1534

Cartier sails up the St. Lawrence river in search of the Northwest passage, though he fails to establish a French colony.

French Explorers begin to trade fro Beaver Pelts with Native Americans

Oct 4, 1540

Beaver hats are all the rage in Europe and trading for their skins becomes a way for young explorers to get rich very quickly.

St. Augustine, Florida established as the oldest city in the New World.

Oct 4, 1565