Skip to content
RichseenAtlas← JourneySign in

Age of Exploration

When these happened

24 dated records from 1405 to 1816. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

1500160017001800The seven Ming treasure voyages — 1405–1433Portugal takes Ceuta — 1415-08-21Gil Eanes passes Cape Bojador — 1434Dias rounds the southern tip of Africa — 1488Columbus makes landfall in the Bahamas — 1492-10-12The Treaty of Tordesillas divides the ocean — 1494-06-07Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut — 1498-05-20Cabral sights the coast of Brazil — 1500-04-22Maize appears in Chinese local records — mid-16th centuryThe Casa de Contratación is established at Seville — 1503Albuquerque takes Malacca — 1511-08The Magellan expedition sails from Sanlúcar — 1519-09-20Smallpox reaches Tenochtitlan — 1520 (autumn–winter)Magellan is killed at Mactan — 1521-04-27The Victoria completes the first circumnavigation — 1522-09-06The Treaty of Zaragoza settles the Moluccas by sale — 1529-04-22Silver ore is registered at the Cerro Rico of Potosí — 1545Urdaneta finds the return route across the Pacific — 1565A documented consignment of potatoes reaches Europe — 1567Mercury amalgamation and the mita transform Potosí — 1570sManila is founded as the eastern terminus — 1571Atmospheric CO₂ reaches a minimum recorded in Antarctic ice — c. 1610The transatlantic slave trade reaches its peak volume — 18th centuryThe last Manila galleon sails — 1815
24 shown · 24 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order24
  1. 1405–1433The seven Ming treasure voyages

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 1415-08-21Portugal takes Ceuta

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 1434Gil Eanes passes Cape Bojador

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 1488Dias rounds the southern tip of Africa

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  5. 1492-10-12Columbus makes landfall in the Bahamas

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 1494-06-07The Treaty of Tordesillas divides the ocean

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  7. 1498-05-20Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  8. 1500-04-22Cabral sights the coast of Brazil

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  9. mid-16th centuryMaize appears in Chinese local records

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  10. 1503The Casa de Contratación is established at Seville

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 1511-08Albuquerque takes Malacca

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  12. 1519-09-20The Magellan expedition sails from Sanlúcar

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  13. 1520 (autumn–winter)Smallpox reaches Tenochtitlan

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  14. 1521-04-27Magellan is killed at Mactan

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  15. 1522-09-06The Victoria completes the first circumnavigation

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  16. 1529-04-22The Treaty of Zaragoza settles the Moluccas by sale

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  17. 1545Silver ore is registered at the Cerro Rico of Potosí

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  18. 1565Urdaneta finds the return route across the Pacific

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  19. 1567A documented consignment of potatoes reaches Europe

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  20. 1570sMercury amalgamation and the mita transform Potosí

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  21. 1571Manila is founded as the eastern terminus

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  22. c. 1610Atmospheric CO₂ reaches a minimum recorded in Antarctic ice

    It was measured or witnessed, with the observation cited.

  23. 18th centuryThe transatlantic slave trade reaches its peak volume

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  24. 1815The last Manila galleon sails

    It happened, and the record is settled.