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The Portuguese carried out some of the greatest voyages of
exploration and discovery in history and as a result Portugal became
one of the richest nations in the world from the mid 15th century to
the late 16th century.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to :
Sail down the coast of West Africa
Discover Madeira and the Azores and Cape Verde Islands
To round (and name) the Cape of Good Hope (Cabo da boa Esperança)-
Bartholomew Dias
To reach India by sea from the west - Vasco da Gama
The first to trade with China and Japan
The first to see Australia (200 years before Capt. Cook)
The first to discover South America and Brazil - Cabal. He had
probably been blown off course whilst travelling down the Atlantic
on route for the Orient.
The first to settle Newfoundland and discover the Great Banks
(Fegundes)
All these discoveries took place between 1419 and 1500 and were made
possible because of the development of the Portuguese vessel, the
Caravel, and of navigational techniques under Henry the Navigator's
influence at his famous School of Navigation at Sagres.
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