| 127 | Marco Polo travels to China |
| 1443 | Portuguese establish first African trading post at Arguin |
| 1492 | Columbus lands on San Salvador |
| 1494 | Treaty of Tordesillas ratified |
| 1518 | Atlantic slave trade begins |
| 151 | Magellan's expedition circumnavigates the world |
| 1521 | Cortès conquers Aztec Empire |
| 1533 | Pizarro conquers Inca Empire |
| 1571 | Spanish establish port of Manila in the Philippines |
| 1602 | Dutch East India Company founded |