1482★★★★★
Portugal builds Elmina Castle
The Portuguese built São Jorge da Mina on the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana), the first European post in sub-Saharan Africa, which later became a hub of the slave trade.
EconomyExploration· Ghana, Portugal
Timeline
4 events15th century
- July 8, 1497 – May 20, 1498★★★★★
Vasco da Gama sails from Europe to India
Vasco da Gama's fleet left Lisbon, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, sailed up the East African coast and reached Calicut, opening a direct sea route between Europe and Asia.
ExplorationEconomy· Portugal, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, India - c. 15th century – c. 1860s★★★★★
The transatlantic slave trade
From the 16th to the 19th century, an estimated 12.5 million enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to the Americas, with profound consequences for both continents.
Economy· Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Senegal, Angola, Brazil, United States, Portugal, United Kingdom
21st century
- January 1, 2002★★★★★
Euro banknotes and coins enter circulation
Euro cash enters circulation in twelve European Union countries, replacing national currencies such as the franc, the Deutsche Mark and the lira.
Economy· Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain