Explorations/Davis

The Black Death

Nov 11, 1346

In 1346 the Black Death began to spread throughout Europe, killing about 25 million people or about one-third of the population. The Black Death came in three variations, the first being the bubonic with its name being derived from the swelling or buboes one would get on its neck. The second being the pneumonic plague which attacked ones respitory system. Lastly, the septicemic version of the disease attacked the blood system.

The First Guns appear in Europe

Nov 11, 1347

The 14th century saw a considerable development of new weapons in France and Western Europe in general. Guns were especially prominant during the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War (1347-1453). Small guns were used for protection during numerous battles within Europe. The development of guns let to the evolution and use of the cannon later on in history.

Long Lost Map Finally Found

Nov 11, 1406

Ptolomey a geographer of the second century once drew a map of the world. It was lost upon his death but eventually rediscovered in Western Europe. Upon being rediscovered it became one of the best existing maps of the world. It is with the discovery of this map that Columbus believes that Asia can be reached by sailing west from Europe.

School of Navigation

Nov 11, 1418

Prince Henry the Navigator organizes a School of Navigation and bases for explorations on Cape St. Vincent in Portugal. About 1418, Prince Henry established the first school for oceanic navigation which also included an astronomical observatory. In this school pupils were trained not only in navigation, but also map-making and science. This school was formed in hopes of one day sailing to Africa.

Caravels appear

Nov 11, 1420

In 1420 the first caravels are built, and for the first time, an Asian ship enters the Atlantic Ocean by rounding the Cape of Good Hope. A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable sailing ship, with lateen sails. The lateen sails used on this ship give her the speed and capacity needed for sailing windward. Caravels were much used by the Portuguese for the oceanic exploration voyages.

Constantinople Captured

Nov 11, 1453

In 1453 Moslem Turks capture the great Christian city of Constantinople. The fall of Constantinople came with the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire. With this being said, many historians use this date as the beginning of the historical period refered to as the Renaissance. After this time, the Genoese put their financial support being Portuguese efforts to find a new route to Asia.

Let the stars lead the way

Nov 11, 1465

In 1465 celestial navigation is greatly improved. Celestial navigation is the use of angular measurements taken between a celestial body (the sun, the moon, a planet or a star) and the visible horizon. With the development of the sextant the use of this navigation became more efficent and understandable.

Tobacco as medicine?

Nov 14, 1493

In 1493, Columbus found Native Americans growing and using tobacco, sometimes for its pleasurable effects but often for treatment of various illnesses. Some of his sailors observed natives of Cuba and Haiti smoking the leaves, and subsequent European explorers and travellers corroborated both these observations. The name tobacco was originally applied to the plant in error. In fact this term referred to the cane pipe, called a tabaco or tavaco, with two branches for the nostrils, which was used.

John Cabot Sails

Period: Nov 14, 1496 to Nov 14, 1497

John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the continent of North America since the Norse Vikings in the eleventh century.
The official position of the Canadian and United Kingdom governments is that he landed on the island of Newfoundland. This navigation was Cabot's second voyage. His first voyage failed due to lack of supplies.

Vasco da Gama

Period: Nov 14, 1497 to Nov 14, 1498

Between 1497 and 1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached India by rounding the tip of Africa. On 8 July 1497 Vasco da Gama led a fleet of four ships with a crew of 170 men from Lisbon. The distance traveled in the journey around Africa to India and back was greater than around the equator.The navigators included Portugal's most experienced, Pero de Alenquer.It is not known for certain how many people were in each ship's crew but in the end two were lost.

Columbus discovers America

Nov 14, 1498

In 1498 Christopher Columbus discovered what he believed to be part of Asia. Columbus left the port of Sanlucar in southern Spain on May 30, 1498 with six ships, bound for the New World on his third voyage.Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas—Vikings from Scandinavia had briefly settled on the North American coast, in what is now Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, in the late 10th or early 11th century. However, Columbus’s explorations had a profound impact on the world.

A new map of the World

Nov 14, 1507

In 1507, a new map of the world is used and named "America" for the newly discovered southern continent in honor of its founder Amerigo Vespucchi. Vespucchi was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. In 1507, a pamphlet was published called "The Four Voyages of Amerigo" and the author suggested that the new land that Amerigo had explored be named in his honor. At first, the name of America was only meant to apply to South America, but later on it was used for both.

Greenland

Nov 14, 1509

In 1509 Sebastian Cabot followed in his father's footsteps by leading one of the first expeditions to find a North-West passage, and indeed claimed to have found one, but was forced to turn back by his crew. He may have found the entrance to Hudson's Bay. Cabot was employed by Britain. Later on in his life Cabot had many expeditions leading to multiple degree's of success.

Smallpox

Nov 14, 1514

Smallpox has been said to be one of the greatest killers in human history. When Europeans began to travel to North America, they brought along with them smallpox. The native peoples of these lands were not prone to small pox and instead easily contacted it. Smallpox much like the black death wiped out population amoung population, having no mercy on anyone in its track.

The First telescope

Nov 14, 1609

Galileo, was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy". The name "telescope" was coined for Galileo's instrument by a Greek mathematician, Giovanni Demisiani, at a banquet held in 1611.

Why are these dates important?

Nov 14, 2011

Why do I find these 15 dates to be some of the most important in expedition? To answer this question simply, I believe these to be the most important dates because without these simple discoveries the world wouldn't be what it is today. Without expedition, cultures would be different, people who are no extinct, if not in contact with some of the terrible diseases of the time, were not in contact with "strange" people, they would have been able to possibly live a more fullfilling life.