Globalization and Exploration

By Gabriel Anderson
  • 1415

    Portuguese Conquest of Ceuta

    Portugal's capture of Ceuta marked the beginning of European overseas expansion, driven by a desire for trade and religious spread.
  • 1492

    Columbus Reaches the Americas

    Christopher Columbus's voyage opened the Americas to European colonization, initiating massive cultural and biological exchanges.
  • 1494

    Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain and Portugal divided newly discovered lands outside Europe, shaping colonial boundaries in the Americas and beyond.
  • 1498

    Vasco da Gama Reaches India

    This voyage established a direct maritime trade route between Europe and Asia, fueling global commerce and colonial ambitions.
  • Period: 1516 to 1522

    Magellan's Circumnavigation

    The first global circumnavigation proved the world was round and interconnected, accelerating global trade and exploration.
  • 1521

    Fall of the Aztec Empire

    Hernán Cortés's conquest of the Aztecs showed the devastating power of European colonization and its effects on indigenous populations.
  • 1533

    Fall of the Inca Empire

    The Spanish conquest of the Incas reflected the broader trend of European dominance and resource extraction in the Americas.

  • Formation of the Dutch East India Company (VOC)

    One of the first multinational corporations, the VOC played a crucial role in global trade, colonialism, and economic globalization.

  • First African Slaves Brought to English Colonies

    The beginning of the transatlantic slave trade in English colonies illustrates the human cost of global economic systems emerging from exploration.

  • James Cook Reaches Australia

    Cook's exploration helped expand British colonial interests and mapped parts of the Pacific, influencing modern geopolitics and trade.