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Jan 1, 1346
Black Death
Across Europe, Asia, and Africa, a hideous plague is carried by rat fleas. In Europe alone, it killed 25 million people. The world's population at that time was reduced from about 450 million to about 350 million. The mortality rate was estimated from anywhere between 30 and 75 percent. This is the largest pandemic the world has ever experienced. -
Jan 1, 1418
School of Navigation
The Portugese prince Henry sponsered several voyages down Africa's west coast. He did not, however, go on these himself, but is nonetheless known as Henry the Navigator today for his work on these voyages. The school itself was in Sagres, Portugal, and students would learn map-making, navigation, and science. This prepared potential sailors for voyages to Africa, and the result of these were much-needed maps of the areas explored. -
Jan 1, 1420
Caravel Development
The first caravels are built. These smaller, faster ships are a great advantage over the previous aquatic transportation. At this time, Asians ships are able to enter the Atlantic Ocean by rounding the Cape of Good Hope. This furthers the progression of ship quality and ease of exploration. -
Jan 1, 1453
Beginning of Renaissance
Moslem Turks capture Constantinople, which is used by some historians as the date of the beginning of the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a time of great artistic progress, bringing about such brillant minds as Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo. At this time, more financial support is put behind Portugal in their efforts to find a new route to Asia. This sparks further exploration from Portugal espeically, but also Spain and other countries. -
Jan 1, 1492
Columbus
Christopher Colubus becomes the credited discoverer of America. He also learns that compasses change direction slightly as longitude changes. He believes that he has found the West Indies through a new route going west, but has, in fact, come upon a new continent entirely. He names the natives he sees 'Indians.' -
Jan 1, 1499
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was an explorer from Florence, Italy. He explored the coast of South America and realized that Columbus' "West Indies" were really a new continent. The continents of North and South America were later mapped. It is believed that they were also named after him. -
Jan 1, 1509
Sebastian Cabot
Sebastian Cabot was an Italian explorer born in 1474. In 1509, Sebastian Cabot began to explore the coast of Greenland. This great island above the continent of North America joined the other explored territories of the past years. Cabot later enters Hudson's Bay. -
Jan 1, 1513
Vasco Nunez De Balboa
Balboa was a Spanish explorer. In 1513, he crossed the Ithsmus of Panama. Upon doing so, he became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. He also founded the first permanent European settlement on the American continents. Also in this year, Ponce De Leon lands in Florida. He is rumored to be searching for the Fountain of Youth. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernan Cortez
The Spaniard Hernan Cortez was born in 1485. In 1519, he began exploring Mexico and discovered the Aztec people. He later enters their capital, Tenochitlan, and met with the Aztec leader. He eventually captures the leader and destroys the Aztecs. -
Jan 1, 1521
Fall of the Aztecs
Cortez and his men destroy the Aztecs. The Spanish build the capital of New Spain. Today, it is called Mexico city. This was built on top of the ruins of Tenochitlan. -
Jan 1, 1522
Ferdinand Magellan
In 1519, the explorer Magellan set out with five ships to find a "southwestern passage" to Asia. Over the three years until he finished in 1522, there is only ship remaining. This ship carries only seventeen men. They return to Spain in 1522 and have completed the first voyage around the world. -
Jan 1, 1533
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro was born in Spain in 1471. In 1513, he accompanied Balboa on his crossing of the Ithsmus of Panama. He later, in 1532, went to Peru and discovered the Inca people. Following the strategies of Cortez and the Aztecs, he captures the leader, Atahualpa. The Spanish later conquer the Inca capital of Cuzco. Pizarro founds Lima, Peru. -
Period: Jan 1, 1577 to Jan 1, 1580
Sir Francis Drake
Picture Sir Francis Drake was born in 1540 in England. In 1577, he began his journey to circumnavigate the globe. He succeeded in 1580. He later went on to destroy the Spanish Armada in 1588. This allowed England to become the world's largest sea power. -
Discovery of Australia
Before 1606, the island continent of Australia was unknown. In this year, however, Dutch explorers discover this huge land mass in the Indian Ocean. Willem Janszoon is credited with this discovery. It is possible that it was previously discovered by Portugese explorers, however. -
Jamestown
The city of Jamestown was established in Virginia by the English in 1607. This was the first permanently inhabited English settlement in the country that is now the United States. It later served as the Virginia colony capital for many years. This settlement exists today as an archaeological site. -
Explanation (Part 1)
The events I chose to put in this timeline were selected for an array of purposes. The most commonly used reason is for their great impact on the world today. The discovery of continents like that by Amerigo Vespucci or Willem Janszoon changed the view of the world by everyone, as it was discovered that there was more to the world than anyone previously knew. The beginning dates of the Black Death and the Renaisance were included to mark a large impact on the culture of the people at the time. -
Explanation (Part 2)
After the mass death that followed the Black Death, times changed. The School of Navigation was a major turning point in the idea of exploration. The development of caravels allowed easier travel. The Renaissance brought more funding to the Portugese for exploration. The discovery of the New World, Greenland, Australia, and the native tribes of the Aztecs and the Incas were all major discoveries that still affect our culture. -
Explanation (Part 3)
Finally, some major "firsts" were also included. The first journey around the earth, the first circumnavigation of the world, and the first English settlement in the New World were firsts that changed the motives of the world. After the former two, more explorers seeked to become the first in something themselves. After the settlement of Jamestown, the colonization of America grew rapidly, and that begins to make America what it is today. All of these things are, thus, crucial.
