Events with tag - Discovery

January 1, 2561 BC

Great Pyramid of Giza Construction

The Great Pyramid of Giza, built around 2560 BCE during the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom, stands as humanity's most remarkable architectural achievement. Rising 481 feet, it remained the world's tallest human-made structure for over 3,800 years.

January 1, 1337 BC

Queen Nefertiti's Disappearance

Queen Nefertiti, one of Egypt's most powerful queens, mysteriously vanished from historical records around 1336 BCE during the 12th year of Akhenaten's reign. Her sudden disappearance remains one of ancient Egypt's greatest unsolved mysteries.

251 BC

Archimedes' Eureka Moment

In 250 BCE, Greek mathematician Archimedes discovered the principle of water displacement while taking a bath, leading to one of history's most famous scientific breakthroughs. This discovery helped him solve King Hiero II's challenge of determining if his crown was pure gold without damaging it.

June 1, 1000

Leif Erikson Discovers North America

Viking explorer Leif Erikson becomes the first European to reach North America, establishing settlements in present-day Newfoundland around 1000 CE. His journey predated Christopher Columbus's voyage by nearly 500 years and led to the first documented European-Native American contact.

October 12, 1492

Columbus Discovers America

Christopher Columbus's historic voyage in 1492 led to the first sustained European contact with the Americas, when he landed in the Bahamas on October 12 after sailing across the Atlantic with three ships provided by the Spanish Crown.

June 24, 1497

John Cabot Discovers North America

Italian-born explorer John Cabot became the first European since the Vikings to reach mainland North America in 1497, sailing under English sponsorship. His landing at Newfoundland established England's first territorial claims in the New World and laid the foundation for British colonial expansion.

April 2, 1513

Discovery of Florida

Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León discovered Florida on April 2, 1513, marking the first documented European contact with the region. He named it 'La Florida' due to its flowering vegetation and the Easter season.

September 25, 1513

Discovery of the Pacific Ocean

Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa became the first European to discover the Pacific Ocean, which he named the 'South Sea', after a grueling 25-day expedition across the Isthmus of Panama with 190 Spanish soldiers and 1,000 indigenous porters.

January 17, 1524

Verrazzano's Atlantic Coast Exploration

Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano conducted the first European exploration of the Atlantic coast from Florida to New Brunswick under French commission, covering over 5,000 nautical miles and making significant discoveries including New York Harbor.

September 7, 1535

Discovery of St. Lawrence River

French explorer Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, establishing a crucial waterway that would shape North American colonial development and connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

February 23, 1540

Coronado's Expedition to the American Southwest

In 1540, Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led a massive expedition of over 1,000 people through the American Southwest, searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. While the legendary cities were never found, the two-year journey resulted in the first detailed European documentation of the region's geography, indigenous peoples, and natural resources.

May 8, 1541

Discovery of Mississippi River

Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto became the first European to discover and document the Mississippi River, which he named 'Río del Espíritu Santo' (River of the Holy Spirit), marking a pivotal moment in North American exploration history.

May 8, 1541

Discovery of the Mississippi River

Hernando de Soto became the first European to officially document the discovery of the Mississippi River, leading to a series of explorations that established crucial trade routes and shaped North American development.

July 22, 1587

Lost Colony of Roanoke Disappearance

In 1587, 117 English settlers established a colony on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. When Governor John White returned in 1590 after a supply mission to England, he found the settlement completely abandoned with only the word 'CROATOAN' carved into a fence post.

July 1, 1799

Discovery of the Rosetta Stone

French soldiers discovered the Rosetta Stone during Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, unearthing a trilingual inscription that would later prove crucial in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. This remarkable find near the town of Rashid became one of archaeology's most significant discoveries.

May 14, 1804

Lewis and Clark Expedition Launches

The Lewis and Clark Expedition embarked on their historic journey from Camp Dubois near St. Louis, Missouri, launching a three-year exploration of the American West that would revolutionize the mapping and understanding of the newly acquired Louisiana Territory.

August 9, 1805

Pike's Mississippi River Expedition

Lieutenant Zebulon Pike led a groundbreaking 9-month expedition along the Upper Mississippi River, covering 2,000 miles from St. Louis to northern Minnesota. The journey resulted in crucial mapping of territories, establishment of diplomatic relations with Native tribes, and significant scientific discoveries.

March 23, 1900

Discovery of Palace of Knossos

Sir Arthur Evans began systematic excavations of the Palace of Knossos in Crete, revealing one of the most significant Bronze Age archaeological sites in the Mediterranean region. The massive complex spanned 150,000 square feet and provided unprecedented insights into ancient Minoan civilization.

August 31, 1906

Northwest Passage Conquered

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen completed the first successful navigation of the Northwest Passage, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic. The three-year journey aboard the Gjøa marked a pivotal moment in maritime history.

January 31, 1958

Explorer 1 Launch

The historic launch of Explorer 1, America's first successful satellite, marked the nation's entry into the Space Age and led to the groundbreaking discovery of the Van Allen radiation belts.