There were many Voyages of Discovery in the last years of the Middle Ages. They became more and more common throughout Tudor times and into the century after that.

The term Voyages of Discovery applies to Europeans exploring other parts of the world. The first people to make voyages of this kind were the Portuguese, followed by the Spanish. Between them they carved up South America.

The French, Dutch and British all joined in at a later date and took control of parts of North America and elsewhere.