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In the early 1400s, Portugal expands into North Africa, and takes hold of the coastal city of Ceuta.. The victory inspires Prince Henry, later 'Henry the Navigator', to organize voyages along the western coast of Africa.
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Inspired by Portugal's success in navigation, the Spanish help Italian explorer Christopher Columbus' trip to find a western trade route to Asia. Columbus makes a path to the Americas for future explorers by landing in the Caribbean in 1492. He is convinced he landed in East Asia.
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Spain and Portugal both press claims to the lands Columbus explores. Pope Alexander VI makes the Treaty Of Tordesillas which makes the Line of Demarcation, dividing the non-European world into two zones. Spain gets trading and exploration in the west lands and Portugal gets the same on the east of the line.
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In the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal claims Brazil and gives right of land to Portuguese nobles. Settlers move to Brazil to build towns, plantation and churches.
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With hopes to find a northwest passage to Asia, Explorer John Cabot makes a voyage from England to North America. After landing on the east coast of North America, Cabot claims the land in the name of King Henry VII. Like Columbus, he believes he is in Asia.
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Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reaches India after going around the southern tip of Africa. Even though the Portuguese lose half their ships and many sailors die on the voyage, the venture makes high profit Da Gama returns with a cargo of spices. His voyage shows Portugal can access Asian markets directly, instead of through indirect overland routes.
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Due to his success in India, Vasco Da Gama is able to get a new fleet with Hundreds of men. He takes command of the 4th India Armada, his second trip to India, scheduled to set out in 1502, during which he forces a treaty of cooperation on the ruler of Calicut.
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Martin Waldseemüller, a German mapmaker reads reports about Columbus' "New World," written by the Italian sailor Amerigo Vespucci. The mapmaker names the region America, and the Caribbean islands Columbus initially explored are named the West Indies.
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After Da Gama's success in setting up a trading post, the Portuguese begin to capture ports around the Indian Ocean. In 1511 they take on Malacca, which allows them to ally with Asian leaders and establish a secure position in Asian trade routes. Portugal continues to set up a vast trading empire, but their brutality in Malacca makes them hated and feared.
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In February of 1521, Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernan Cortés lands on the coast of Mexico with 600 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons. Even though the Spaniards are outnumbered by the Aztecs, they still capture the capital city of Tenochtitlán in a brutal assault in 1521, having more advanced weapons and armor. Their actions inspire other conquistadors to conquer regions in the Americas.
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Inspired by the success of Cortés in Mexico, Francisco Pizarro arrives in Peru in 1532. He gets to the Incan empire and quickly captures the Inca emperor Atahualpa, who is executed in 1533.
Afterwards the Spanish Empire expands through more of
South America. -
Determined to find the Northwest Passage between the Atlantic Ocean and Asia, English explorer Martin Frobisher sets sail for North America. In 1576 gets sight of the coast of modern day Labrador, Canada. Despite three voyages, Frobisher does no succeed in finding the Northwest Passage.
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The Dutch were involved in New World exploration too, but their efforts came later than the Spanish, French, and English and were not nearly as significant. They did, however, establish a colony on Manhattan Island in the early 1600s and conducted explorations throughout the Caribbean.
