Europeans Explore the East By evanlesh Feb 7, 1418 • Prince Henry starts a navigation school Feb 7, 1488 • Bartolomeu Dias rounds the southern tip of Africa Feb 7, 1492 • Christopher Columbus reaches the Caribbean Feb 7, 1494 • Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas Feb 7, 1521 • Ferdinand Magellan leads a Spanish expedition to the Philippines Feb 7, 1564 • Spain begins settlements in the Philippines Feb 7, 1603 • The Dutch establish a trading center on Java Feb 7, 1666 • France sets up its own East India Company