-
-
In 1492, Christopher Columbus began his first voyage, aiming to reach Asia by sailing west but instead encountered the Caribbean islands, believing he had reached the Indies. This marked the beginning of European exploration in the Americas. -
Vasco da Gama is renowned for his voyage to India (1497-1499), which established a sea route to Asia. This route was crucial for Portugal's lucrative spice trade and marked a significant step in European exploration of the Indian Ocean. -
Amerigo Vespucci joined multiple voyages during which he wrote letters describing the newly discovered lands. These letters resulted in the naming of the new continent as "America," after Amerigo. -
Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa becomes the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean. -
Ferdinand Magellan led an expedition that navigated through a waterway at the southern tip of South America, now known as the Strait of Magellan. -
Cortés is known for his conquest of the Aztec Empire in modern-day Mexico. His expedition led to the fall of the Aztec civilization and the Spanish colonization of Mexico, which played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. -
French explorer Jacques Cartier begins exploring the St. Lawrence River and claims Canada for France. -
The first Dutch fleet reached India. Soon after, the Dutch established the East India Company and began displacing the Portuguese from the spice trade in Southeast Asia. -
In 1602, the Dutch East India Company, also known as the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), was established in the Netherlands. -
Samuel de Champlain established Quebec, which marked the first lasting French settlement in the Americas. -
English explorer Henry Hudson explores the Hudson River and claims the area for the Dutch. -
The Mayflower Compact was a brief document that stated the Pilgrims' authority to self-govern and establish an organized society for the betterment of their colony. -
New France attained the status of a royal province, complete with its governor, military leader, and armed forces. This transformation resulted in population growth and the advancement of the colony's development.
-
French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, explored the Mississippi River and claimed the region for France, leading to the establishment of the colony of Louisiana. -
The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty sponsored maritime expeditions in the South China Sea and beyond, furthering Chinese exploration in Southeast Asia. -
The Treaty of Utrecht marked the end of the War of Spanish Succession and had significant consequences for colonial possessions. Spain ceded several territories to other European powers, including the British acquisition of Gibraltar and some American colonies. -
This conflict, part of the larger Seven Years' War, involved European powers and their American Indian allies. It had significant consequences for colonial possessions in North America, with Britain gaining control of Canada and Florida from France and Spain, respectively. -
The British East India Company gains control over Bengal, marking the expansion of British influence in India. -
The Society of Friends, known as the Quakers, started to build up feelings against the practice of slavery. This marked the beginning of a growing anti-slavery sentiment in Europe. -
The American colonies declare independence from Britain, leading to the American Revolutionary War. -
It wasn't until the French Revolution in the 1790s that France officially abolished slavery. -
The Dutch East India Company goes bankrupt, marking the end of Dutch dominance in Asian trade.