Age of Exploration

  • Voyage of Discovery: Bartolomeu Dias Opens the Sea Route to Asia
    May 4, 1488

    Voyage of Discovery: Bartolomeu Dias Opens the Sea Route to Asia

    Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope, opening the sea route to Asia.
  • Columbus's First Voyage: Discovery of the Bahamas
    Aug 3, 1492

    Columbus's First Voyage: Discovery of the Bahamas

    Christopher Columbus, sponsored by Spain, makes his first voyage to the New World, discovering the Bahamas.
  • Cabot's Exploration: John Cabot's Voyage to North America
    1497

    Cabot's Exploration: John Cabot's Voyage to North America

    John Cabot explores the coast of North America under a commission from Henry VII of England, possibly reaching Newfoundland.
  • The Spice Route Pioneer: Vasco da Gama's Voyage to India
    May 20, 1498

    The Spice Route Pioneer: Vasco da Gama's Voyage to India

    Vasco da Gama reaches India, establishing a direct trade route between Europe and Asia via the Cape of Good Hope.
  • Discovery of Brazil: Pedro Álvares Cabral's Claim for Portugal
    Apr 22, 1500

    Discovery of Brazil: Pedro Álvares Cabral's Claim for Portugal

    Pedro Álvares Cabral claims Brazil for Portugal while en route to India.
  • Portuguese Reach the Spice Islands: Monopoly in the Moluccas
    Sep 6, 1510

    Portuguese Reach the Spice Islands: Monopoly in the Moluccas

    Portuguese explorers reach the Spice Islands (Moluccas), establishing a lucrative spice trade monopoly.
  • Period: Sep 20, 1519 to Sep 6, 1522

    Magellan's Legacy: The First Circumnavigation of the Globe

    Ferdinand Magellan leads the first successful circumnavigation of the globe, although he dies during the journey.
  • The Fall of the Aztec Empire: Cortés's Conquest and Spanish Colonization
    Feb 18, 1521

    The Fall of the Aztec Empire: Cortés's Conquest and Spanish Colonization

    Hernán Cortés conquers the Aztec Empire, leading to Spanish colonization of Mexico.
  • Conquest of the Inca: Francisco Pizarro's Rise and the Spanish Dominion in South America
    Nov 16, 1532

    Conquest of the Inca: Francisco Pizarro's Rise and the Spanish Dominion in South America

    Francisco Pizarro conquers the Inca Empire in present-day Peru, leading to Spanish colonization of South America.
  • Period: Dec 13, 1577 to Sep 26, 1580

    Drake's Epic Journey: Sir Francis Drake's Circumnavigation and Spanish Raids

    Sir Francis Drake circumnavigates the globe, becoming the second to do so and raiding Spanish possessions along the way.
  • Period: to

    Roanoke Venture: Sir Walter Raleigh's Colonial Expedition

    Sir Walter Raleigh sends an expedition to establish the Roanoke Colony in present-day North Carolina, one of England's first attempts at permanent colonization.
  • Defeat of the Spanish Armada: England's Triumph at Sea

    Defeat of the Spanish Armada: England's Triumph at Sea

    The Spanish Armada is defeated by the English fleet, marking the decline of Spanish naval dominance and the rise of England as a maritime power.
  • Trading Titans: The Establishment of the Dutch East India Company

    Trading Titans: The Establishment of the Dutch East India Company

    The Dutch East India Company is established, becoming one of the most powerful trading companies of its time.
  • Hudson's Discovery: Exploration of the River that Became His Legacy

    Hudson's Discovery: Exploration of the River that Became His Legacy

    Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch East India Company, explores the river that would later bear his name, the Hudson River, in present-day New York.
  • New Horizons: Founding of the Dutch West India Company

    New Horizons: Founding of the Dutch West India Company

    The Dutch West India Company is established to focus on trade and colonization in the Americas.
  • Lisbon's Catastrophe: The Great Earthquake and Portugal's Decline

    Lisbon's Catastrophe: The Great Earthquake and Portugal's Decline

    The Great Lisbon Earthquake devastates the city of Lisbon, leading to the decline of Portugal as a major colonial power.