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Period: Jan 1, 1440 to
Northern Rennaissance
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Jan 1, 1450
Prince Henry navigates to Africa
Prince Henry the Navigator, the son of the Portugal king, had heard from African merchants about silver and gold. He navigated to Africa to find gold supply. He became eager for Protugese sailors to explore the West coast. In the early 1400's Henry set up the first European school. There, Henry organized a way for others to learn the skills of sail. At the same time, Henry worked with others to design and sail ships. The results was a Portugese Caravel. Henry later died in 1460. -
Jan 1, 1488
Bartholomeu Dias rounds the tip of Africa
Dias readied ships for a long, hard voyage. Dias touched at several points on Africa's West Coast without knowing his ship had been blown around the tip of the continent to the east coast of Africa. On the way home Dias named what is now known as the Cape of Good Hope, Cape of Storms. -
Jan 1, 1492
Queen Isabella grants Columbus trip
Christopher was a navigator from Genoa. Unlike many others he believed the Earth was round and not flat. Therefore he believed he could reach Asia by sailing west. In 1492 Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to sponsor his trip, The enterprise of the Indies. Christopher explored this voyage with 3 ships . Christopher and his ships were named the first European settlement of Americas. Later he returned to Spain with many goods. -
May 4, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Treaty of Tordesillas was agreed apon the Spanish and Portegese. This was created to solve any confussion upon newly claimed land in the "New World." But this in later years could cause confusion and conflicts. After Columbus sailed to North America, Spain and Portugal would fight to see who got credit for this newly found land. The treaty, however, said that Spain gets any new found land that they find on its west coast, and Portugal gets any new found land on the east coast. -
Jan 1, 1497
John Cabot discovers Newfoundland
John Cabot was a Italian navigator. He was persuaded by the English merchants that talked to the king to send him out to the Far East by a northwester route. He explored the coasts if Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and established claims for England in the Americas. -
May 20, 1497
Vasco da Gama reaches India after rounding Africa
Vasco led a convoy, a group of four ships down the Tagus. He went on his way to proclaim the Christian faith and to free kingdoms and new states from the hands of the Bararians. Vasco's voyage led to later explorations and an era of increased trade. -
Jan 1, 1500
Pedro Alvarez Cabral discovers Brazil
Pedro Alvarez Cabral was a Portuguese noble, military commander, navigator and explorer regarded as the discoverer of Brazil. Cabral conducted the first exploration of the northeast coast of South America and claimed it for Portugal. He was appointed to head an expedition to India in 1500, following Vasco da Gama's newly opened route around Africa. -
Jan 1, 1519
Megellan’s ship starts sail
Ferdinand set sail from Spain. His voyage made it completely around the world proving that the Earth was defenitley round. Today, the strait bears Magellan's name. He also sailed to the great South Sea renaming it the Pacific Ocean . -
Jan 1, 1527
Pizarro lands in the coasts near Ecuador
Fransico Pizzaro was a Spanish explorer. He explored the area in what is known today as Panama. He also sailed down the coast of South America. Later, he returned to Spain to tell the King and Queen his accomplishments. And within 5 years he conquered the Inca Empire. After taking their silver and gold they headed for the coast, he set up Lima. -
Apr 15, 1528
Cabeza de Vaca lands in present-day Florida
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was from Spain. He explored the Gulf and Florida region from Texas to Mexico, around 1528-36. He and his Spanish crew went through storms, and were blown off track.
