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Jan 1, 1347
Guns arrive in Europe
Weapons that are used with gundpowder, known as guns, reach Europe from Arabia. The use of guns at this point in time was very limited, but they would eventually evolve into the most widely used weapon throughout a majority of the world. -
Jan 1, 1418
School of Navigation
Prince Henry the Navigator founds the school of navigation to serve as a learning base for anybody interested in exploration. This allowed sailors to guide themselves while sailing, further opening the possibility of exploration. -
Jan 1, 1420
Caravel Ships built
The caravel was a fast new ship design that was most popular among the age of explorers. Without them, half of the world might have still been a mystery. They were what determined the history of exlporation. -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus's accidental discovery
Christopher Columbus, while trying to find a route from Portugal to Asia, accidentally discovers the American continents. This, in turn, sparks the growing interest for exploration. -
Jan 1, 1496
John Cabot's exploration
John Cabot sailed around the land of Newfoundland for England. His explorations under the English showed that other nations were interested in exploring these new lands. -
Jan 1, 1499
Vespucci explores South American coast
Amerigo Vespucci states that the Americas are not part of Asia, but of a "new world" while exploring the coasts of South America. The American continents would be named after him for his discovery. -
Sep 25, 1513
Balboa reaches Pacific Ocean
Vasco Nuñez de Balboa sights the Pacific ocean. This opens up many more speculations on routes to Asia. -
Jan 1, 1514
Smallpox Epidemic
Smallpox brought over by the Europeans decimates the native population. Smallpox along with other diseases wipeout the major native empires and kills well over 3/4 of the native poplutation. -
Sep 1, 1519
Magellan's world tour begins
Ferdinand Magellan embarks from Spain with five ships. His mission is to look for a passage from Spain to Asia. -
Jan 1, 1521
Fall of Aztec Empire
Spanish forces conquer the already dying Aztec Empire. With this the last native civilization in central America ends. The Spanish the construct Mexico City where the Aztec capital of Tenochitlan was previously. The founding of this city shows the replacement of natives with European settlers. -
Nov 13, 1522
Magellan's world tour ends
One ship (The Victoria) that embarked with Magellan's original five returns to Spain. Only 18 of the 270 men he sailed with are on the ship. Magellan is not among them. Although the voyage was disasterous, the first circumnavigation of the world was completed. -
Jan 1, 1533
Atahualpa's death
Atahualpa, the Incan emperor, is executed after months of captivity by Spanish conquistadors. This in turn caused the downfall of the Incan civilization. The capture of Atahualpa was performed by less than 200 Spaniards with not a single casualty. This event proves how much more powerful Spanish technology was compared to the technology of the natives. -
Jan 1, 1535
Spanish replace the Incans
After the fall of the Incan Empire, the Spanish found the city of Lima in Peru. Now that the Incan empire has fallen, all native civilizations are gone. The Spaniards and Portugese have most control over Central America and South America. -
Jamestown is founded
Jamestown is founded by the English in what is known as modern Virginia. The founding of Jamestown begins begins England's colonization of the 13 original colonies. Eventually those colonies would become the United States of America. -
Quebec is founded
The settlement of Quebec is founded by the French in the country that would later be named Canada. With the founding of Quebec, the three most prominent nations in the world at that time were most involved in the new land. The French, Spanish, and English.
