Pedro Alvares Cabral is credited with which important expedition in 1500?

Pedro Alvares Cabral is credited with establishing contact with the Indian Ocean network during his expedition in 1500. This voyage is significant because it not only marked Cabral's exploration of Brazil, which he claimed for Portugal, but also represented a crucial moment in the Age of Exploration where European powers sought new trade routes and connections to lucrative markets in the East. By navigating around Africa and into the Indian Ocean, Cabral's expedition helped to enhance Portugal's influence and presence in this vital trading area, leading to the establishment of trade routes that would significantly impact global commerce.

While the other options highlight notable events in the context of exploration and trade, they do not accurately align with Cabral's achievements in 1500. The exploration of the Great Lakes pertains to a later period and different explorers, the first expedition to Texas did not occur until the 17th century with Spanish explorers, and the circumnavigation of the globe is primarily associated with Fernando Magellan's expedition, which took place later in the 1510s. Thus, Cabral's role in connecting Europe to the Indian Ocean trade network is both vital and foundational to understanding the broader impacts of Portuguese exploration during this era.