exploration and settlement

Columbus lands at Hispanioal in the Caribbean

1492

marked the beginning of contact between Europeans and the Native American

Baloboa "discovers" the pacific ocean in Panama

1513

Vasco became the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the pacific from the new world

Cortes conquers the aztecs at tenochitilan

1521

he helped colonize cuba and became a governor of new spain

de soto explores the region between florida and the mississippi river

1539

he was the first European documented as having crossed the Mississippi river

first permantment english settement is founed in jametown, virgina

1607

it was established by Virgina company of London as "james fort"

mayflower pilgrims found pig mouth colony in massachusetts

1629

The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John

english settlers defeat native americans

1676

John Smith, though he had not been in Virginia since 1609 and was not a firsthand eyewitness

france claims the mississippi river valley

1682

sailed from the Great Lakes up the St. Lawrence River, through the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico