Age of Exploration Timeline for Kids
Long ago, people in Europe did not know how big the world was. Brave sailors set out in small wooden ships to find out. This timeline shows where they went and what they found.
Cut and Order Activity
Cut out the seven picture cards and glue them in order on the timeline.
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The timeline
About 1420Prince Henry's Sailors
Prince Henry of Portugal sends ships south along the coast of Africa. His sailors make maps of what they see.
Why it matters: Each trip went a little farther. Sailors learned to trust their ships on the open sea.
1488Around the Tip of Africa
Bartolomeu Dias sails all the way around the southern tip of Africa. Storms push his ships far out to sea first.
Why it matters: Now sailors knew there was a way to sail from Europe to Asia.
1492Columbus Crosses the Ocean
Christopher Columbus sails west across the Atlantic Ocean with three ships. He lands on islands near North America. He thinks he is in Asia.
Why it matters: People called the Taino already lived there. Life changed for them, and many were harmed. Europe now knew about lands it had never seen.
1498A Sea Road to India
Vasco da Gama sails around Africa and reaches India. The trip takes about ten months.
Why it matters: Ships could now carry spices and cloth from Asia to Europe by sea.
1519Magellan Sets Out
Ferdinand Magellan leaves Spain with five ships. He wants to reach Asia by sailing west.
Why it matters: No one had ever tried to sail all the way around the world.
1522Around the World
One ship from Magellan's trip, the Victoria, comes home to Spain. Magellan died on the way, and only 18 sailors return.
Why it matters: It was the first trip all the way around the world. It showed how big the Earth is.
1534Up a Great River
Jacques Cartier sails from France to what is now Canada. He explores the land near a great river, the St. Lawrence.
Why it matters: France later built towns there. Many people in Canada speak French today.
Words to know
- explore: to travel to a place to learn about it
- coast: the land next to the sea
- voyage: a long trip by ship
- spices: parts of plants, like pepper, used to flavor food
Quiz
- What did Prince Henry's sailors make on their trips?
A. Maps B. Trains C. Castles - Where did Columbus land in 1492?
A. India B. Islands near North America C. Africa - Who reached India by sailing around Africa?
A. Vasco da Gama B. Jacques Cartier C. Prince Henry - How many of Magellan's five ships came home?
A. All five B. Three C. One - Where did Jacques Cartier explore?
A. What is now Canada B. Japan C. Australia
Show answers
1. A (Maps) 2. B (Islands near North America) 3. A (Vasco da Gama) 4. C (One) 5. A (What is now Canada)
The pictures are illustrations made for this timeline. They show what these people and places may have looked like.