When did exploration and colonization occur?

Timeline of Exploration and Colonization:

- 15th Century:

- Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope, opening the sea route to India.

- Christopher Columbus makes his first voyage to the Americas, leading to the European colonization of the New World.

- 16th Century:

- Spanish explorers conquer and colonize large parts of Central and South America, establishing empires in the Aztec and Inca territories.

- English explorer John Cabot explores North America and claims it for England.

- Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan leads the first circumnavigation of the world.

- 17th Century:

- English colonists establish Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America.

- French explorer Samuel de Champlain founds Quebec City, leading to French colonization in Canada.

- Dutch colonists establish New Amsterdam (later New York City) and explore the Hudson River.

- 18th Century:

- Russian explorers expand eastward, reaching the Pacific Coast and Alaska.

- British and French colonists compete for control of North America, leading to several wars and conflicts.

- Spanish colonists continue their expansion in the Americas and establish missions and settlements in California.

- 19th Century:

- European powers intensify their exploration and colonization efforts in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

- United States westward expansion leads to the acquisition of vast territories, including the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican-American War.

- European colonization reaches its peak, with almost half of the world's landmass under the control of European countries.

- 20th Century and Beyond:

- Decolonization movements and the rise of nationalism lead to the independence of many former colonies in Asia and Africa.

- European colonization ends, but its impact on the world's cultures, languages, and political boundaries continues to shape the modern world.

This is a general timeline of exploration and colonization, and many more specific events and details can be explored for each period and region.