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1492
Columbus lands at Hispaniola in the Caribbean
Columbus made contact with the Native Americans for the first time on his voyage to find the continent west of the Atlantic Ocean. -
1513
Balboa "Discovers" the Pacific Ocean in Panama
Vasco Nunez crossed the isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean. He traveled with 190 Spaniards and over 100 slaves. -
1521
Cortes conquers the Aztecs at Tenochtitlan (Mexico City)
Cortes came to capture Moctezuma and became disgusted when they did human sacrifices. They also went to find gold and claim land. -
1539
De Soto explores the region between Florida and the Mississippi River
De Soto was amazed by the riches and fertile land on the continents, which made him want to explore more. All his exploring soon led to the discovery of the Mississippi River. -
First permanent settlement is founded in Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was found in what is now North Carolina. -
Mayflower Pilgrims found Plymouth colony In Massachusetts
Plymouth was the first major colony. Pilgrims wanted to be somewhere they could have religious freedom from the Protestant church. -
English Settlers defeat Native Americans in King Philips War
After they defeated the Native Americans, all of England was now open for English colonization. -
France claims the Mississippi River Valley and names it Louisiana
Rene Robert and Siur de La Salle claimed the MS River fro France
