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Period: Jan 1, 1400 to Jan 1, 1499
Europeans Seek Sea Route to Asia
The Muslims and Italians charged high prices for Europeans to sail through the land. As a result ther Europeans took the sea route along the coast of Africa. -
Period: Jan 1, 1400 to Jan 1, 1499
Prince Henry the Navigator
Henry the Navigator was neither a sailor nor navigator, he sponsered a great deal of exploration. Under his leadership Portuguese crews founded the country;s first colonies and visited regions previously unknown to Europeans. Lastly he was also known as one of the orginators of the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic Slave Trade. -
Period: Jan 1, 1400 to Jan 1, 1499
Ming Dynasty and Exploration
After Zheng He the Chinese explorer died, China decided to stop funding overseas exploration and trade, because they felt no European country had anything to really offer to them that was valuable. The MIng Dynasty only allowed certain people to trade with them such as the Portuguese, the Dutch, the English etc. However the trading between these people were under heavy watchmen, and a sense of security. -
Jan 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus
In 1492 Christopher Columbus after thirty six days of sailing set foot on an island claiming his land for Spain. There he encountered natives who were open to trade exchanging such items as glass beads, cotton balls etc. Thus, crediting Christopher Columbus with the discovery of the "New World" of the Americas. -
Jan 1, 1493
Line of Demarcation
In 1493 Pope Alexander VI stepped into keep peace between Spain and Portugal claims of Columbus' explored lands. In order to keep peace Pope Alexander VI set a Line of Demarcation dividing the non-European world into two zones. This meant Spain would have trading and exploration rights in all of the lands west of the line and Portugal had the same rights but to all of the lands east of the line. -
Jan 1, 1497
Vasco da Gama
Vasco de Gama's first voyage resulted in going from Europe directly into India. He did this for just about two years over a span of 24,000 miles resulting in only 54 crew members surviving. -
Jan 1, 1500
Pedro Alvarez Cabral
Pedro Alvarez Cabral, a Portuguese navigator was the first European to reach Brazil. His expedition was the second from Europe to reach India using thesea route around the Cape of Good Hope. -
Jan 1, 1502
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama's second voyage to India he used 20 ships, 10 of which were under his full comand. The king ordered da Gama to further secure Portugal's dominance in that region. In trying to secure that region da Gama unleashed a massacare on Muslim ports resulting in seceral hundred deaths along his second voyage. -
Jan 1, 1511
Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque was a great Portuguese soldier and conqueror who conquered the island of Goa in India, and the rich Muslim trading port Malacca. Plus, In 1509 Afonso de Albuquerque become the second viceroy(a ruler using authority in a colony on behalf of a sovereign) of India, a position he held until his death. -
Jan 1, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
With the support of Charles V, king of Spain Ferdinand's objective was to go on a sea voyage and find a better route to the Spice Islands. He assembled a fleet of ships and despite the wreck of one of his ships he and his four remainig ships continued their voyage later on succeding in finding the route, but doing because he was a little bit too adventurous. -
Jan 1, 1521
Spain and Philippines
Up to this point in time in 1521 Spain had conquered and colonized the islands of Southeast Asia for about 50 years. So, for Spain to conquer the Philippines it was actually quite simple because they weren't united like the other Southeast Asia countries. At this time the Catholic Reformation was taking place so Spanish priests decided to convert Filipinos to Christianity. In addition the Philippines became a big part of Spain's trading empire, by shipping sliver over to the Philippines etc. -
Jan 1, 1522
Magellan's Expedition
Magellan's Expedition was to find a path to Balboa's South Sea, otherwise known as now the Pacific Ocean. Ferdinand Magellan and his group of men from Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia had accomplished that goal. Ferdinand decided that he wanted to push on towards the East Indies, past the Pacific and he second guessed himself he thought it'd only take three weeks, but soon enough became four months, and they had finally reached the Philipines, and when they got there Ferdinand was killed. -
Jan 1, 1543
Portuguese and Japan
The Portuguese were one of the first countries to accept Japan into their country to trade with.This is when Japan let very few people into their country, and Portugal was lucky to be one of them. -
The Happy Return
The Happy Return was a year long absence that resulted in a significant wealth for the Dutch. Not only did the Dutch receive a significant amount of wealth, but they also received a significant amount of spices. -
The Dutch East India Company
In 1641 The Dutch East India Company captured Malacca from the Portugese and opened trade with China. The Dutch had similar startegies and ideas like the Portugese, they used their military force to futher their goals of trade. -
Japanese Ban Western Merchants
After the Japanese learned about the Phillipines their shoguns started to become very suspicious of Europeans. As a result Japan decides not to let anybody in or out of their country for about two-hundred years.
