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240 BCE
Invention of the Quadrant
The quadrant is a tool that allows the user to determine their latitude by measuring the altitude of a heavenly body. This tool was invented by the Greek in around 240 BC -
120 BCE
Invention of the Astrolabe
The astrolabe is a navigation tool that was used to take the altitude of the sun or stars. Its name means "to take a star" or "star taker". Invented in around 120 BC -
1000
Leif Erikson discovers America
Leif Erikson was the son of Erik the Red, founder of the first European settlement of modern day Greenland. Leif Erikson sailed to Norway around 1000 AD. On his way back to Greenland, it was said that he sailed off course and landed on the North American continent, where he explored and later called Vinland. He was believed to be the first European to reach North America almost four centuries before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. -
1400
Prince Henry sponsors exploration
Henry was the prince of Portugal in 1400 when he learned about the Saharan trade routes. He became fond of adventuring into Africa and its riches. He began to sponsor trips and voyages into the Atlantic and Africa. Henry's ships reached the Senegal River in Africa and made trade routes to the gold and slaves there. -
1404
the beginning of Zheng He's explorations
Zheng He was a crucial influence to extending the maritime and commercial influence of China throughout the regions bordering the Indian Ocean. He was commander of many expeditions almost a century before the first Portuguese reaches India -
1415
The beginning of Henry the Navigator's career
Henry the Navigator is known for his many, many voyages of discovery on the Madeira Islands and western coast of Africa. His career started when he captured the Moroccan city Ceuta in 1415. -
1456
Cape Verde
Cape Verde is a country comprised of a group of islands that lie around 600km off the west coast of Africa. Cape Verde consists of nine inhabited islands, and one uninhabited island, with many miniscule islands scattered in-between. -
1492
Columbus discovers America
Christopher Columbus is credited for discovering America in 1492, although many had visited before him and not documented such as Leif Erikson. Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who's voyages mainly consisted of the Caribbean, and Central and South America. -
1492
Founding of the Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange was the largest part of globalization following the voyaging by Christopher Columbus in 1492. The exchange included the Americas, Europe, and Africa. The name "Columbian Exchange" is taken from the title of Alfred W. Crosby's 1972 book, dividing the exchange into three categories: animals, plants, and diseases. -
1493
Line of Demarcation
The line of Demarcation between Spanish and Portuguese territory was first made by Pope Alexander VI in 1493. Pope Alexander's original creation of the line of Demarcation was revised by the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. Portugal gained rights to new lands to the east while Spain controlled the lands to the west. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was created on June 7th, 1494. It was an agreement between Spain and Portugal to try and settle conflicts over new or existing lands discovered or explored by Christopher Columbus and other voyagers. Pope Alexander VI issued the line of demarcation from pole to pole about 320 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. Spain was given rights to all land in the western regions, and Portugal was to keep East of the line. -
1497
John Cabot explores Newfoundland
John Cabot's voyages in 1497 and 1498 were the base of the British claim to Canada years in the future. Cabot made landfall on the morning of June 24th, 1497. It is believed he landed in southern Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island. He noticed the island was inhabited but saw no people. So he took possession of the island in the name of the English king. He laid down both the English flag and Venetian flag. -
1497
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese navigator whose expeditions to India opened the seas route from western Europe to the east by way of the Cape of Good Hope. Da Gama's first voyage was in 1497. He sailed with a fleet of four ships on the road to discovery. The fleet reached Santiago in the Cape Verde islands on the 26th of July, and remained there until August 3rd. The crew rounded the Cape of Good hope on November 22nd. -
1501
Amerigo Vespucci "discovers" South America
Amerigo Vespucci's first ever voyage was in 1497. His 3rd voyage, his most successful, he discovered present day Rio de Janeiro and Rio de la Plata. Vespucci believed he had discovered a new continent, so he called South America the New World. In 1507, America was named after him. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa discovers Pacific Ocean
Vasco Nunez de Balboa helped establish the first stable settlement on the South American continent. While he was leading an expedition in search of old in 1513, he sighted the Pacific Ocean. He claimed the ocean and all of its shores for his country Spain. This helped Spanish explorations along the western coast of South America. -
1513
Jorge Alvarez reaches China
Jorge Alvarez sailed under the Portuguese Malacca captain. In May of 1513, Alvarez made contact on Chinese soil. The Portuguese called the island they landed on Tomao. -
1519
Hernan Cortes conquers Mexico
Hernan Cortes was a Spanish conqueror. He is mainly remembered for conquering the Aztec empire in 1521 and claiming Mexico for Spain. He later helped colonize Cuba and became a governor of New Spain. -
1519
Vera Cruz
Hernan Cortes founded the city of Veracruz while he was searching for gold in the region. Cortes founded the city when he originally landed at the beach of Chalchihuecan on April 22nd, 1519. It was Good Friday, which the Spanish also referred to as the day of the Vera Cruz or True Cross. -
1519
Ferdinand Magellan circumnavigates the globe
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese navigator and explorer who sailed under Spain and Portugal. On his voyage from Spain in 1519 he sailed around South America, discovering the Straight of Magellan, and across the Pacific Ocean. Magellan was killed in the Philippines but one of his ships continued on west toward Spain, accomplishing the very first circumnavigation of Earth -
1526
Francisco Pizarro arrives in Peru
Francisco Pizarro embarked on the adventure that would lead to his fame in 1523. He embarked for voyage of discovery and conquest down the west coast of South Africa. Pizarro drew a line on the ground with his sword, inviting those who desired wealth from Ecuador to cross it. From the famous thirteen who crossed the line continued the exploration of the coast. They named the new land Peru. -
1534
Cartier explores eastern Canada
Cartier was sent to explore more of the New World in the north. He mapped the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and named the land he found "The Country of the Canadas" -
1543
Portuguese reach Japan
Explorer Antonio Mota was swept off his course by a storm and accidentally landed in Japan. Later that year Fernao Mendes Pinto sailed to Japan on purpose and established all trade relations. -
1572
Drake's commission from Queen Elizabeth I
in 1572, Sir Francis Drake obtained a privateer's commission from Queen Elizabeth I. It was a license to steal or destroy any property belonging to King Phillip II of Spain. Francis attacked the town of Nombre de Dios, a drop off point for Spanish ships bringing silver and gold from Peru. Francis captured the town and picked up many gold and silver. -
1576
Frobisher explores Northern Canada
Frobisher was sailing for England and looking for a northwest passage to Asia. He failed, but he did find Frobisher Bay and Baffin Island. -
Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada was a huge one hundred thirty ship fleet released by Spain in 1588 as part of an invasion of England. King Phillip II of Spain assembled the flotilla in hope of removing Queen Elizabeth from the throne and restoring the Roman Catholic Faith in England. The Spanish Armada set sail in May but was defeated by the English. This lead to a national pride in England and was one of the most important chapters of the Anglo-Spanish War. -
Beginning of Mercantilism
During the 16th century, the empires that existed were primarily for increasing trade and wealth of the European nations like Portugal, Spain, England, and France. Mercantilism was the idea that colonies and trade should be strictly controlled to benefit the economy of the home nation. It was believed that its exports should be higher than its imports. Mercantilism was running strong until it started to be rejected in the early 18th century. -
Founding of the Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company is a trading company founded in Dutch Republic (Netherlands) in 1602 to protect the trade in the Indian Ocean. The company prospered through the majority of the 17th century, coming to an end in 1799. -
Janszoon discovers Australia
Janszoon was sailing for the Dutch East India Company who had sent him to find more islands. He stumbled across the Northern tip of Australia, but didn't know he found a new continent. Thirteen years later he landed on the Western Coast of Australia and realized he found a new continent. -
Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania and New Zealand
Abel Tasman was born in the Netherlands. One of the greatest Dutch Navigators and explorers known. He was the first European to sight Tasmania, New Zealand, Tonga, and the Fiji Islands. IN 1642-3 he served the East India Company and explored the Indian Ocean. -
Invention of the Sextant
The sextant is an instrument for measuring angles, and was developed from a suggestion by Captain John Campbell of the Royal Navy in 1757. The sextant was designed to find longitude by measuring the angular distance between the moon and a nearby star.
