Unit 1: Age of Exploration and Isolation Timeline

By kgourrier2
  • Jan 1, 1405

    Zheng He's First Voyage

    Zheng He led seven voyages sailing on large treaure ships in order to establish Chinese superiority. After his seventh voyage, China became isolated to outside countries.
  • Jan 1, 1419

    Prince Henry's First Navigation School

    In order to spread Christianity, Prince Henry founded a navigation school where mapmakers, instrument makers, shipbuilders, scientists, and sea captains could practice so they could be more efficient in spreading their faith.
  • Jan 1, 1433

    Ming Dynasty Enacts Isolation Policy

    China believed itself to be sulf-sufficient and perfect and the fleets were costing too much money, so they islotated themselves. They als wanted to focus on protecting themselves from enemy states like Mongolia.
  • Jan 1, 1492

    Christopher Columbus Lands in Hispaniola

    Christopher Columbus, a Italian sea captain, gained spnsorship from Spain to find a route to Asia by sailing west. Instead of reaching the intended destination of the East Indies, he had instead landed on an island in the Carribean.
  • Jan 1, 1494

    Treaty of Tordesillas is Signed by Spain and Portugal

    Pope Alexander VI created a line dividing the world into two halves: one half for Spain and one half for Portugal called the Line of Demarcation. Portugal believed that the line gave an unfair amount to Spain, so both countries signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which moved the line west to include more of modern-day Brazil.
  • Jan 1, 1498

    Vasco da Gama Reaches India

    A Portuguese explorer named Vasco da Gama navigated the east coast of Africa. When they finally reached Calicut, a port in India, a sea route to India was established so Portugal could trade for spices with them.

  • Tokugawa Shogunate is Established

    Tokugawa Ieyasu, a Japanese daimyo, succeeded in unifying Japan and appointed himself shogun of his new shogunate.

  • Rise of the Qing Dynasty

    Seeing that the Ming Dynasty was falling and the citizens were becoming more rebellious, the Manchus of Manchuria seized the opportunity to take over China and establish the Qing Dynasty. Under the new dynasty, China once again thrived and expanded its borders.