What year was the era of European exploration?

The era of European exploration is generally accepted to have begun in the mid-15th century and lasted until the early 17th century. During this period, a number of European countries, including Spain, Portugal, France, and England, began to explore and colonize portions of the Americas and the Pacific. Some of the major milestones of this era include:

• 1492 - Christopher Columbus voyages to the Americas for Spain
• 1498 - Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope for Portugal
• 1519 - Hernan Cortes conquers the Aztec Empire for Spain
• 1520 - Ferdinand Magellan's expedition circumnavigates the globe for Spain
• 1607 - Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas, is founded

So, the era of European exploration began in the mid-15th century and ended in the early 17th century.