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1415
Portuguese Conquest of Ceuta
Prince Henry the Navigator began Portugal’s push into maritime exploration with the capture of Ceuta in North Africa, sparking European interest in overseas expansion. -
1492
Columbus Reaches the Americas
Christopher Columbus’s voyage, sponsored by Spain, opened the door for European colonization in the New World and marked the start of widespread transatlantic exchanges. -
1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
This agreement between Spain and Portugal divided newly discovered lands outside Europe. It reflected European assumptions of domination over non-European territories. -
1498
Vasco da Gama Reaches India
This journey established a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, allowing Portugal to bypass the Middle East and dominate the spice trade. -
1519
Magellan’s Expedition Circumnavigates the Globe
Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet became the first to circumnavigate the earth, proving global interconnectedness was possible through sea travel. -
1521
Fall of the Aztec Empire
Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec Empire, demonstrating the destructive power of European disease, military technology, and alliances in the Americas. -
1533
Fall of the Inca Empire
Pizarro’s conquest of the Incas further solidified Spain’s dominance in South America and triggered a massive influx of silver into the global economy. -
Formation of the Dutch East India Company
The VOC was the world’s first multinational corporation and signaled the growing importance of trade networks and colonial outposts. -
First African Slaves Arrive in British North America
The transatlantic slave trade became central to colonial economies and racial hierarchies, shaping global labor systems and societies for centuries. -
James Cook Explores the Pacific
Cook’s voyages expanded European knowledge of Oceania and marked the tail end of the Age of Exploration, as most of the world became charted by Europeans.