History of Western civilization Genovese born mariner, Christopher Columbus set out under the auspices of the Crown of Castile (Spain) to seek an oversea route to the East Indies via the Atlantic Ocean. Rather than Asia, Columbus landed in the Bahamas, in the Caribbean. Spanish colonization followed and Europe established Western Civilization in the Americas. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama led the first sailing expedition directly from Europe to India in 1497-1499, by the Atlantic and Indian oceans, opening up the possibility of trade with the East other than via perilous overland routes like the Silk Road. Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer working
Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway was an early coast-to-coast highway in the United States. Begun early in 1912 the route went from New York City to Los Angeles. It was in direct competition with the Lincoln Highway and the National Old Trails Road. It route markers were marked PP-OO. It started as a boosterism campaign in Colorado Springs, and depended upon cities and towns along the route to participate with monetary contributions and road improvements. It was formalized March 18, 1914, at a meeting in St. Joseph, Missouri, with state and federal highway