Age of Exploration

10 stories

Ships, gold, and uncharted oceans. The world gets bigger, and a lot more violent.

An Italian sailor convinces Spain to fund a shortcut to India. He misses by an entire continent, calls the locals 'Indians,' and changes the world.

Vasco da Gama Reaches India

A Portuguese captain finally finds the actual sea route to India. Returns home with cargo worth 60 times the cost of the voyage.

Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe

He sets out with 5 ships and 270 men. Three years later, 1 ship and 18 starving survivors limp back. Magellan is not one of them.

Cortés Conquers the Aztecs

600 Spaniards walk into the Aztec capital, take the emperor hostage, and burn their own ships so nobody can retreat. Two years later, the empire is gone.

The Fall of Tenochtitlan

After a brutal 75-day siege, the largest city in the Americas falls. Mexico City rises on its bones.

Pizarro and the Inca

168 Spaniards walk up the Andes, kidnap the Inca emperor in front of his army, and take a room full of gold as ransom. Then kill him anyway.

Atahualpa's Ransom

The Inca emperor fills a giant room twice with gold and silver to buy his freedom. The Spanish take the gold and execute him anyway.

Drake Circumnavigates

An English pirate-captain robs Spanish ships all the way around the world and comes home loaded with treasure. Elizabeth I knights him on his own deck.

Jamestown Founded

104 Englishmen show up in Virginia thinking they'll find gold. Most starve to death. The few who survive accidentally start America.

The Mayflower Lands

Religious separatists aiming for Virginia get blown off course and land in Massachusetts. Half of them die that first winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

What stories does the Age of Exploration era include?

History Tea covers 10 stories from Age of Exploration, including Columbus Sails the Ocean Blue, Vasco da Gama Reaches India, Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe, Cortés Conquers the Aztecs and 6 more. Each one is retold as immersive audio narration.

Can I listen to Age of Exploration stories for free?

Yes! All 10 Age of Exploration stories on History Tea are completely free. Download the app on iOS and start listening today.

What is the Age of Exploration era about?

Ships, gold, and uncharted oceans. The world gets bigger, and a lot more violent. History Tea retells each Age of Exploration story as modern, immersive audio you can listen to anywhere.

How long are the Age of Exploration audio stories?

Each Age of Exploration story on History Tea runs between 5–15 minutes of immersive audio narration — perfect for a commute, workout, or before bed.