A couple of major european events about exploration (not in any particular order)
Leif Erikson finds Canada around 1000
Christopher Coloumbus finds Cuba in 1492 (never set foot in America)
John Cabot explores North America in 1497
Marco Polo travels to Asia from 1271 to 1295
Francis Drake discovers the Tierra del Fuego, the land south of the Magellan Strait taking place from 1577 to 1580
Hope this gives you some inspiration :)
