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Prince Henry the Navigator began Portugal’s push into maritime exploration with the capture of Ceuta in North Africa, sparking European interest in overseas expansion. -
Christopher Columbus’s voyage, sponsored by Spain, opened the door for European colonization in the New World and marked the start of widespread transatlantic exchanges. -
This agreement between Spain and Portugal divided newly discovered lands outside Europe. It reflected European assumptions of domination over non-European territories. -
This journey established a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, allowing Portugal to bypass the Middle East and dominate the spice trade. -
Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet became the first to circumnavigate the earth, proving global interconnectedness was possible through sea travel. -
Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire, demonstrating the destructive power of European disease, military technology, and alliances in the Americas. -
Pizarro’s conquest of the Incas further solidified Spain’s dominance in South America and triggered a massive influx of silver into the global economy. -
The VOC was the world’s first multinational corporation and signaled the growing importance of trade networks and colonial outposts. -
The transatlantic slave trade became central to colonial economies and racial hierarchies, shaping global labor systems and societies for centuries. -
Cook’s voyages expanded European knowledge of Oceania and marked the tail end of the Age of Exploration, as most of the world became charted by Europeans.