Exploration1497 CE – 1499 CEEurope, Africa, South Asia

Vasco da Gama's Voyage to India

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama became the first European to reach India by sea, opening a direct trade route and beginning Portuguese domination of the Indian Ocean.

Key Figures
Vasco da GamaKing Manuel IBartolomeu Dias

Preceding Causes

Portugal's strategic interest in bypassing Ottoman trade routes; previous explorations of the African coast by Bartolomeu Dias.

Explorationc. 1400 CE

Age of Exploration

European maritime nations launched expeditions that mapped the globe, connected continents, and transformed world trade, culture, and power dynamics between 1400–1600.

Historical Consequences

Destroyed Arab and Venetian dominance of Indian Ocean trade; began Portuguese empire in Asia; connected Europe directly to Asian spice markets.

Colonialism1415 CE

Portuguese Empire

The first global maritime empire, Portugal established trade posts and colonies spanning four continents for nearly 600 years, beginning with the capture of Ceuta in North Africa (1415) and ending with the handover of Macau (1999).

Cause-Effect Graph

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