The Renaissance and the Great Geographical Discoveries era was approaching, the end of the 15th century. The growth of commodity production, the lack of precious metals forces the Europeans to equip sea expeditions searching for new lands. 1488 The Portuguese Diego Kahn, Bartolomeu Dias, and others explore Africa's western and southern coast. 1492-1494 Christopher Columbus discovers America, the Bahamas, and the Antilles. 1497-1499 Vasco da Gama opens the sea route from Western Europe around South Africa to India. 1498-1502 Christopher Columbus, Monceau de Ojeda, and Amerigo Vespucci survey the northern coast of South America, it's eastern (Brazilian) coast, and the Caribbean coast of Central America. 1513-1525 The Spaniards crossed the Isthmus of Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean, discovered the Gulf of La Plata, the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas, explored the Gulf Coast, conquered Mexico, and explored the Atlantic coast of South America. 1519-1522 Fernand Magellan made the first voyage around the world. 1526-1552 The Spaniards Francisco Pissarro, Diego de Almagro, Pedro de Valdivia, G. Quesada and Francisco de Orellana discovered the Pacific coast of South America.