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) |