During the century after Christopher Columbus' first landfall in the Bahamas, many European expeditions followed him across the Atlantic. Careful records document the dates of these journeys and when colonies were founded.
| Year | Explorer/Leader | Sponsoring Country | Landing/Colony |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1492 | Christopher Columbus | Spain | Caribbean |
| 1498 | John Cabot | Britain | Newfoundland, Canada |
| 1513 | Ponce de León | Spain | Florida |
| 1519 | Hernán Cortés | Spain | Veracruz, Mexico |
| 1534-1535 | Jacques Cartier | France | St. Lawrence River Valley, Canada |
| 1565 | Pedro Menendez de Aviles | Spain | St. Augustine, Florida |
| 1585 | Ralph Lane, John White | Britain | Roanoke Island, North Carolina |
| 1607 | Virginia Company of London | Britain | Virginia |
| 1608 | Samuel de Champlain | France | Quebec City, Canada |
| 1614 | Hendrick Christiaensen | The Netherlands | Fort Nassau, New York |
