Chronology: Exploration of the Americas
1492 – 1614

1492 Christopher Columbus: date of 1st voyage
1493 Christopher Columbus: account of 1st voyage
1493 Christopher Columbus: date of 2nd voyage
1495 Christopher Columbus: letter to Ferdinand and Isabella
1497 Amerigo Vespucci: date of presumed 1st voyage
1498 Christopher Columbus: date of 3rd voyage
1498 Christopher Columbus: account of the 3rd voyage
1499 Amerigo Vespucci: date of 2nd voyage
1502 Christopher Columbus: date of 4th voyage
1503 Christopher Columbus: account of the 4th voyage
1504 Amerigo Vespucci letter to Piero Soderini Gonfaloniere: account of the
1504 Amerigo Vespucci letter to Piero Soderini Gonfaloniere: account of the
1511 Pedro de Valdivia: exploration of the coast of Central America
1513 Andrés Bernaldez: account of the 2nd voyage of Christopher Columbus
1517 Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba: exploration of the Yucatan coast
1518 Juan de Grivjala: expedition to Yucatan.
1518 Martin Fernandez de Enciza: exploration of South America
1519 Hernando Cortés: arrives in México
1519 Cartas de Relación Document. First letter of Hernando Cortés to Queen,
1519 Ferdinand Magellan: voyage to circumnavigate the world
1520 Cartas de Relación Document. Second letter of Hernando Cortés to Emperor of Spain, Charles V.
1522 Ferdinand Magellan: start of voyage to circumnavigate the globe
1522 Cartas de Relacion Document. Third letter of Hernando Cortés to Emperor Don Carlos.
1524 Cartas de Relacion Document. Fourth letter of Hernando Cortés to Emperor Don Carlos.
1524 John Verarzanus: Morum Bega [Nurumbega] document, account of the coast of North America
1524 Francisco Pizarro: 1st expedition left Panama
1524 Francisco Pizarro: 2nd expedition left Panama
1525 Antonio Pigafetta: account of the voyage of Magellan
1526 Cartas de Relacion Document. Fifth letter of Hernando Cortés to Emperor
1526 Francisco Pizarro: reaches coast of Peru
1527 Francisco: returns to Spain
1527 Robert Thorne: confirmation of the richness of the Philippines
1531 Francisco Pizarro: 3rd expedition from Panama
1532 Francisco Pizarro: expedition reaches Peru
1533 Hernando Pizarro: letter to Santo Domingo.
1534 Francisco Xeres: account of the Pizarro expedition to Peru
1534 Miguel Estete [Astete]: account of the Pizarro expedition to Peru
1534 Pedro Sancho: account of the Pizarro expedition to Peru
1536 Diego Mendez: account of the 4th voyage of Christopher Columbus
1539-1542 Hernando de Soto: expedition to the American southeast
1540-1542 Francisco Vazquez de Coronado: date of the expedition to the American southwest
1540 Hernando de Alvarado and Friar Juan de Padilla: account of the Coronado expedition to the American southwest
1540 Fray Marcos de Niza: account the Coronado Expedition to the American southwest
1540 Francisco Vazquez de Coronado: account of the expedition to the American southwest
1540 Antonio de Mendoza: account of the Coronado expedition to the American southwest
1540 Francisco Vazquez de Coronado: letter to Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy
c. 1540 Hernando de Alarcon: account of the coastal expedition ordered by Don Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain
1541 Francisco Vazquez de Coronado: letter to the King of Spain regarding the American southwest
1542 Death of Hernando de Soto
1544 Luys Hernandez de Biedma: account of the de Soto expedition to the American southeast
c. 1545 Juan Jaramillo: date uncertain, account of the Coronado expedition to the American southwest
c. 1545 Relacion del Suceso document (date uncertain)   account of the Coronado expedition to the American southwest
c. 1545 Traslado de las Nuevas document (date uncertain; possibly written by Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenasa): account of the Coronado expedition to the American southwest
1546 Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdés: account of the de Soto expedition to the American southeast
c. 1550 Diego Alvarez Chanca: account of the 2nd voyage of Christopher
c. 1555 Florentine Codex: Aztec account of the Spanish conquest of Mexico
1557 Fidalgo de Elvas [Delvas]: account of the de Soto expedition to the American southeast
1562 John Ribault: account of southeast America and the Caribbean
1563 Epistle Dedicatorie document: English contact with Brazil
1571 Pedro Pizarro: account of the conquest of Peru
1576 Bernal Diaz del Castillo: account of the conquest of Mexico by Hernando
1577 Sir Francis Drake: initiation of voyage to circumnavigate the globe
1577 Sir Francis Drake: description of South America
1579 Sir Francis Drake: arrival along the coast of California coast
c. 1579 Nuno da Silva: description of the Francis Drake expedition
c. 1579 Edward Cliffe: description of the Francis Drake expedition
1580 Stephen Hare: expedition to South America
c. 1580 Thomas Grigs: account of South America
c. 1582 Luke Ward: account of South America
1582 Richard Hakluyt: summary of commodities growing in America
1584 Arthur Barlow: description of Virginia
1585 Anonymous crew member of the Tiger: description of Virginia
1585 Ralph Lane: letter to Sir Francis Walsingham from Roanoke, Virginia
1585 Ralph Lane: letter to Richard Hakluyt from Roanoke, Virginia
1585 Boazio Map text: account of Sir Francis Drake’s West Indian voyage and
1585 Pedro Dias: account of the Inquisition questioning of ship pilots
1585 Richard Hakluyt: inducements for the colonization of northern Virginia
c. 1586 John Sarracoll: description of South America
1586 René de Laudonnière: Description of Florida
1586 Primrose Journal: account of Drake’s voyage to Florida and Virginia
1586 Nicholas Burgoigon: account of Florida
c. 1586. Ralph Lane: account of Virginia
c. 1586 Anonymous Frenchman: account of Drake’s voyage
c. 1586 Francis Pretty: description of South America
1587 John White: description of Virginia
1587 Lopez Vaz: description of the Caribbean and South America
c. 1587 John Jane: description of South America
1588 Thomas Hariot: description of Virginia
1588 Vicente Gonzalez: Spanish view of the English Virginia settlement
c. 1589 W. Magoths: description of South America
1589 Walter Bigges: description of Sir Frances Drake’s West Indian Voyage and
1592-1593 Edward Hayes: inducements for the colonization of northern Virginia
1594 James Lancaster: account of expedition to South America
1595 Sir Walter Raleigh: expedition and description of the Empire of Guiana,
1596 Francis Suares: description of potential trade with South America
1596 Pedro de Castañada: account of the Coronado expedition
1599-1602 Samuel Champlain: account of the West Indies and Mexico
1601 London Council [Virginia Company]: advice to colonists
1602 Gabriel Archer: description of northern Virginia
1602 John Brereton: description of northern Virginia
1603 Martin Pringe: description of northern Virginia
1603 Samuel Champlain: description of the Caribbean, Mexico, and Florida
1605 James Rosier: description of northern Virginia
1607 Christopher Newporte: letter to Lord Salisbury
1607 Pedro de Zuñiga: letter to King Philip III: alerting king of English
1607 Council in Virginia: letter to Council of Virginia in England: describing the foundation of Jamestown, Virginia
1607 Gabriel Archer: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1607 Robert Davies: description of northern Virginia
1607 Nahanda (Tahanedo), Manido (Maneddo), and Saffacomoit
1608 Francis Perkins: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1608 Edward Maria Wingfield: description Jamestown
1608 Captain John Smith: description of Jamestown
1608[?] Captain John Smith: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1608[?] George Percy: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1608[?] William White: description of Virginia
1609 Virginia Company: instructions given to Sir Thomas Gates
1609 Francisco Fernandez de Ecija: report on the English settlement of Virginia
1609-1612 Garcilaso de la Vega [el Inca]: account of the conquest of Peru by Pizarro and description of Peru in subsequent years
1610 Francis Mangnel: description of Virginia
1610-1612 William Strachey: description of northern Virginia
1612 William Strachey: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1612 Captain John Smith: description of Virginia and Jamestown
1614 Samuel Purchas: description of northern Virginia
1628 Francis Fletcher and others: Publication of Sir Francis Drake’s account of the California coast (Noua Albion)