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Feb 3, 1418
Prince Henry starts a navigation school
This was located in Sagres, Portugal. Here students were taught navigation, map making, and science in order to sail down West Africa. -
Mar 12, 1488
Bartolomeu Dias rounds the southern tip of Africa
The purpose of this expedition was to find a trade route to India. This was important because Europeans could directly trade with India and other parts of Asia. -
Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus reaches the Caribbean
Columbus reached here trying to reach the Indies. He actually just reached an island in the Carribeans. -
Feb 3, 1494
Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas
Spain and Portugal did this to divide the land between them. This created the Line of Demarcation. -
May 18, 1498
Vasco da Gama reaches the port of Calicut on the Indian Ocean
The Portuguese crossed the Indian Ocean in only twenty seven days with a pilot's help. Vascon da Gama did not trust the native boatmen when he reached shore. -
Mar 16, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan leads a Spanish expedition to the Philippines
The purpose of his expedition was to find a route West to the Spice Islands in Indonesia, but instead he landed on Homonhon island in the Philippines. Ferdinand Magellan was Portuguese. -
Apr 27, 1565
Spain begins settlements in the Philippines
This was founded when Miguel López de Legazpi led an expedition. This was the Spanish's first permanent settlement. -
The Dutch establish a trading center on Java
The Dutch created this to trade spices and make trade easier. Asia was centered in this trade. -
France sets up its own East India Company
France did this to compete with Dutch and Britian's East India companies. King Louis XIV purpose was to trade in the Eastern Hemisphere.
