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130 BCE
The Silk Roads
The Silk Road, a network of trade routes, had begun when the Han Dynasty of China opened trade with the West. -
120 BCE
First map Created
Ptolemy creates the first flat map of the world allowing for the start of travel to truly begin and people learn of further distances. -
1271
Marco Polo goes to China
Marco Polo was very important in the age of exploration as his travels that he wrote about allowed Europeans to have a detailed account of China and Asia. (Inspired merchants to seek trade and knowledges shared from across the regions) -
1420
Prince Henry the Navigator
Prince Henry the Navigator, active in the early 15th century, played a pivotal role in sponsoring voyages of exploration along the African coast. This had led to the advancements within navigation and ship design. -
1453
Search for Sea Routes
The Turkish Empire cuts off the land route for spices from Asia to Europe. The search for the sea route begins. This allows for new areas along the coasts to gain trade opportunities. -
1492
Christopher Columbus's voyage
Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas in 1492. This voyage lead to people learning of new areas to expand to and find valuable resources. -
1492
Columbus sails to the New World
This had dramatically altered the environment, economies, and cultures of both the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) and the New World (the Americas). -
1492
The start of the Columbian Exchange
The global transfer of plants, animals, diseases, and people between the Old and New Worlds. -
1498
Vasco da Gama's Voyage
This voyage established a direct sea route to India, bypassing the traditional land routes that had been controlled by the Ottoman Empire. -
1513
Spanish Conquistadors
Explored and conquered vast territories in the Americas, leading to the establishment of Spanish colonies.