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
Preceding Causes
Portugal's strategic interest in bypassing Ottoman trade routes; previous explorations of the African coast by Bartolomeu Dias.
Historical Consequences
Destroyed Arab and Venetian dominance of Indian Ocean trade; began Portuguese empire in Asia; connected Europe directly to Asian spice markets.
Cause-Effect Graph
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