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In the 1400’s Spain and Portugal were both very determined to find trade routes to Asia. Asia was their way of getting valuable goods like spices and silks. They knew these goods could be very profitable.
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Columbus believed he could reach Asia by boat going across the Atlantic Ocean so he asked Portugal to sponsor his voyage. After that he asked Spain. Queen Isabella finally agreed to this and he set sail in August, 1492.
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On October the 12th 1492 (Nearly 10 weeks later) Columbus spotted land. Since Columbus believed the distance around the world was shorter than it was he thought he reached the East Indies in Asia. He called the people there Indians.
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In 1493 Portugal and Spain started to fight for land and they became arch enemies. They both badly wanted the land to be theirs. This couldn’t stay the way in was so something had to happen.
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On May 4th 1493 Pope Alexander VI took control of the situation and tried to make peace. He did this by dividing the non-European world into two zones. Spain has trading and exploration rights in all lands west of the line, while Portugal has the same rights east of the line. This is called the Line of Demarcation.
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On June 7 1494 Portugal claims Brazil. Although Spain continued to claim land in South America, a large region remained outside it’s empire. In the Treaty of Tordesillas, Portugal claimed Brazil and issued grants of land to Portuguese nobles. Europeans then moved to Brazil to farm brazilwood and sugar.
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On June 24 1497 John Cabot tried to find a Northwest passage to Asia. When he landed in the East coast of North America, he claimed land in the name of Henry VII, mistakenly believing he was in Asia.
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On May 20 1498 Vasco da Gama “a portuguese explorer” reached India after rounding the southern tip of Africa. Although the voyage is rough it is very profitable. His voyage shows Portugal can access Asian markets directly, instead of through indirect overland routes.
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In 1502 Da Gama forced a treaty on the ruler of Calicut and set up a trading post. Thanks to his success in India, Da Gama was able to outfit a new fleet and in 1502 he forced a treaty of cooperation on the ruler of Calicut. After that he left portuguese merchants Calicut to set up trade with spice merchants.
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On April 25 1507 a German mapmaker read reports about Columbus’ “new world.” The mapmaker named this land America. The other Carribean islands Columbus initially explored are named the west indies.
