Voyages of Exploration: 1405-1650

Chinese Treasure Fleet: 1405-1424

1405-1407: Zheng He's first voyage Ming Dynasty

1412-1415: Zheng He's third voyage reaches Hormuz

1421-1422: Zheng He's fifth voyage reaches Mogadishu

Portuguese explorers seek a route to India and China: 1415-1510

1415: The Portuguese capture Ceuta.

1433: Cape Bojador is rounded by Gil Eannes.

1482: Elmina Castle is built.

1484: Diogo Cao discovers the Congo estuary.

1488: Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope.

1494: Treaty of Tordesillas.

1497-1498: Vasco da Gama sails to India.

1500: Pedro Cabral discovers Brazil.

1510: The Portuguese capture Goa.

The Spanish colonization of Central and South America: 1492-1540

1492: Christopher Columbus discovers islands in the Caribbean.

1513: Nunez de Balboa is the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas.

1519-1538: Hernan Cortes conquers Mexico.

British and French colonization of North America: 1497-1600

1497: John Cabot makes his voyage to North America.

1534-1535: Jacques Cartier explores the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

1585: The First English colony in North America is established on Roanoke Island.

1600: The English East India Company is founded.

Global Exploration: 1500-1650

1519-1522: The first circumnavigation of the global is begun under the leadership of Ferdinand Magellan and completed by Sebastian del Cano.

1553: Richard Chancellor sails to Archangel seeking a Northeast Passage.

1576-1578: Martin Frobisher sails in search of a Northwest Passage.

1596: Willem Barents sails to Novaya Zemlya.

1606: Willem Janszoon discovers Australia.

1642: Abel Tasman discovers Tasmania and New Zealand.

Resources

Primary Sources

Secondary Sources