The most significant discovery of
the route of the sea to India by the Portuguese around 1500. Usually it was a
gradual period of changes. The most important change may have been the shift of
a major part of the "Oriental" trade from Constantinople to Venice.
Apparently, this guy could not make up his mind. He switched parties 5 times: Democratic-Republican 1817-1828 Democrat 1828-1835 Whig 1835-1851 American 1854-1860 Constitutional Union 1860-1861