TIMELINE

By reefer
  • 1415

    Portugal captures Ceuta

    This was the beginning of European overseas expansion, which gave Portugal access to African trade routes and it sparked more exploration.
  • 1453

    Fall of Constantinople

    The Ottoman takeover cut off many European land routes to Asia, pushing Europeans to seek new sea routes.
  • 1488

    Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope

    This proved it was possible to sail around Africa to reach Asia, opening the door for direct trade with India.
  • 1492

    Columbus reaches the Americas

    His voyage connected the Eastern and Western Hemispheres for the first time ever, which began the Columbian Exchange.
  • 1494

    Treaty of Tordesillas

    Spain and Portugal split the non European world, showing how quickly the Europeans expanded their influence globally.
  • 1498

    Vasco da Gama reaches India

    His voyage established a direct sea route from Europe to Asia, increasing global trade and European wealth.
  • 1519

    Magellan’s expedition circumnavigates the globe

    This proved the world was connected by oceans and confirmed Earth’s round shape while linking global trade networks.
  • 1521

    Spanish conquest of the Aztecs

    The conquest shifted global power significantly, it introduced new resources to Europe, and it started a drastic demographic decline in the Americas.
  • Founding of the British East India Company

    This company became a major global trading power, shaping globalization through trade, colonization, and cultural exchange.
  • Founding of the Dutch East India Company

    Often considered the world’s first multinational corporation, it dominated global trade and influenced modern global capitalism.