Age Of Discovery

Viking Exploration - Leif Erikson

Nov 18, 999

Leif Erikson was an Icelandic explorer and the first known European to have discovered North America (excluding Greenland), before Christopher Columbus.

Zheng He Possibly Discovering America

Mar 18, 1421

Zheng He was a famous explorer throughout Chinese and Muslim area. He had discovered America supposedly before Columbus in 1421, 71 years before Columbus

Middle Passage/Atlantic Slave Trade

Apr 8, 1440

The Middle Passage was a triangular trade route between America, Europe, and Africa. Millions of Africans had been apart of this and shipped to the New World. The ships was very confined and tight spaces for Africans. It was a very unhealthy living place that was full of disease and human waste. From 1440 to 1640.

Prince Henry Sponsors Portuguese Exploration

Apr 14, 1441

He was neither a sailor nor navigator, but had sponsored many voyages in the Age of Discovery. In 1418, a voyage he had sponsored came upon the Madeira Islands and they established a colony in Porto Santo. He had also many sponsored two voyages in 1441 around the African coast, leading to many African Slaves being brought to Portugal.

Columbian Exchange

Sep 14, 1450

The Columbian exchange was a massive trade route that traded animals, human population, culture, plants, technology, and ideas between America and the Old World. Two of the most prized items traded between America and the Old World was Potatoes and Tomatoes. It had ranged from 1450 to 1750.

Columbus' First Voyage

Aug 3, 1492

Columbus and three other sailors set sail from Palos, Spain on August 3rd, 1492 and landed on an island called Guanahani, later named San Salvador on October 11th, 1492.

Vasco De Gama

Jul 8, 1497

Born in Sines, Portugal Vasco De Gama was a fearless and tough explorer of the seas. In 1497, he was appointed by the Portugese king to find a maritime route to the East, which he succeeded to complete.

Amerigo Vespucci

Feb 14, 1507

Vespucci was born on March 9th, 1451(1454 to others) in Florence Italy. On his third and most successful voyage Vespucci had discovered Rio de Janeiro, Rio De la Plata, a new continent that he named South America.

Ferdinand Magellan

Jan 12, 1519

In search of fame and fortune, Ferdinand a Portuguese explorer set out from Spain in 1519 with 5 other ships to find a western sea route o the Spice Island. Ferdinand became the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean, which was a long and dangerous path that only had one ship return three years later.

Hernan Cortez - Conquest of the Aztecs

Jun 14, 1521

Cortez is known as one of the greatest conquistadors. He is greatly remembered for conquering the Aztec Empire and claiming Mexico for Spain.

Francisco Pizzaro - Conquest of the Incan Empire

Nov 16, 1532

Francisco Pizzaro was the son of a Spanish gentleman, and became a soldier in 1502. After several events he eventually sailed to Peru in 1531, landing in Tumbes, then led his army up the Andes Mountains. On November 15th, 1532, he reached the Inca town of Cajamarca where Atahuallpa, a great Incan leader was enjoying hot springs in preparation for his March in Cuzco, later a meeting was set up in which Atahuallpa would be killed.