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Jan 1, 1450
Prince Henry The Navigator.
Prince Henry Was from Portugal. He set up the first European schools for navigators.Gathered people from all over Europe with skills that do with traveling in sea to help Portugal.Sent parties of explorers along Africas west coast. They discovered the Gold Coast, Capa Verde, Azores, Maderia and the Canary Islands. -
Aug 16, 1487
Bartolomeu Dias
Is a noble in Portuguase.First European to go to the stormy Cape Of Good Hope.Diaz helped make the southeastern water route from western Europe to Asia. His ships were blown by winds to the southern tip of Afirca. There Diaz names the cape the Cape of Storms. It was later renamed by the king of Portugal to the Cape Of Good Hope. -
Aug 1, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher believed that the world is round and believed he could reach India by going west.While he believed that, no Monarch would sponsor his trip.Finally Christopher got the Queen Of Spain to agree. Instead of finding India he found the Americas. -
Jun 1, 1494
Treaty of Trdesillas
In 1494 Pope Alexander VI drew the papal lines of demarcation, or an imaginary line from the North Pole to the South Pole some 300 miles, or 480 kilometers. Spain was to have the non-Christian lands if the west. While Portugal was to have the non-Christians lands of the east. The Portuguese, however did not like the way the lands were divided. They protested and called for a meeting. In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas was drawn up. It moved the line about 500 mile to the west. -
Jan 1, 1497
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was born in Floerence, Italy in 1454. He was one of the first to belive he had reached a new world. He was a very gifted navigator and trader. He also helped Christopher Columbus with some of his explorations. In honer of his findings Amerigo Vespucci had North and South America named in his honor. -
May 2, 1497
John Cabot
He tried to find a northwest way to Asia. He started out in Bristol and made his way to North America. There he sailed past New England and Newfoundland. He took the land in the kings name. King Henry was so happy that he gave him a pension of 20 pounds a year. He returned back to Bristol. Later he went on another expedtion to find Japan, but found the Chesapeake Bay. He had to return because of low supplies and died soon after. -
Jul 8, 1497
Vasco da Gamo
A Portuguese noble named Vasco da Gamo. Led a convey or four ships across Europe. By the time they left Cape Of Good Hope there water smelled, many crew man were ill, and there food was spoiling but they still went on to the islands of Mozambique. When they got there they were forced to leave because they are christians. They then went to Calicut, the people there feared that Portugal would take over there trade so they plotted to kill him, so they left getting back home in 13 months. -
Apr 22, 1500
Pedro Cabral
Was a Portugal nobleman, navigator, and explorer. He set sail to find India. His patron King Manuel I sent him with 13 ship to find India. Instead he found Brazil and took it for Portugal. The land was later renamed after the dyewood there. -
Jan 1, 1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
First European to sight the Eastern shore of the Pacfic.At Age 26 went on his first expetion to South America. The crew had low supplies of food and water so could not start a settlement. They sailed to a nearby island and stayed there. Vasco was in Debt after some years there and tried to leave but was stopped. FInally he stowed away and helped make a new town in South America. After that he found the Pacific Ocean and sent word back to the king of the dicovery. -
Mar 1, 1513
Ponce de Leon
Went in search of the fountain of youth. Landed in a unknown land named it Florida because there were many flowers there. He searched all the land but could not find the fountain of youth. Five years later he returned with more ships, but he was attacked by Indians and was shot with a arrow. The crew took him to Cuba were he died in 1521. -
Jan 1, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand went to the Spainish king telling him he could find a route to India. Portugal at the time was richer then Spain and the king was jealous. So he agreed. Ferdinand took his ships past South America losing 2 ships in the process. By then his crew was starving and running out of food. The went past the Pacific Ocean and into the Philpinnes where he died in a local war. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernan Cortes
He traveled to mexico which was discovered last year by another explorer. When he arrived he went to the Aztec Captial. The Aztecs treated him as a god and his soliders good. Cortes howerver took there emperror hostage and demanded ransom. The Aztecs drove him out, but he returned and took over the city. In the ruins of the captial he built Mexico City. He was appointed the governeror of the city until people thought he was to powerful. He was then sent back to Spain. -
Jan 1, 1523
Giovanni da Verrazano
In 1523 the French hired Giovanni da Verrazano. He was an Italian navigator . He was hired to go on a mission to the new world. He eventually found North Carolina, New York, and Main.
He returned home to report his findings. And in 1527 he was reportley accused of piracy and was executed. -
Jan 1, 1527
Francisco Pizzaro
Was a spainish Explorer. On this exdepetion he went to the land we call Peru. There he found the Inca's a Indian tribe and gold. He started to fight the Inca's but lost the fight and had to get more men and supplies. Finally Francisco took the inca's city and took there ruler under hostage. He demanded a room full of gold and two rooms full of silver. The Inca people paid up, but Fransico killed the ruler. Later he got killed by the rulers son as revenge. -
Jan 1, 1528
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
A spanish Explorer. He sailed to they area of the Gulf of Mexico. He stayed there for 8 years exploring they land nearby. He also explored Florida and Texas. -
Apr 1, 1531
Jacques Cartier
Tried to find the North West passage whcih John Cabot failed at. Found more islands and took it for France. On his second expedtion he went up the St. Lawerence River and found Mont Real which is Montreal, Canada. He stayed with a indian tribe. Later he kidnapped 12 of them and took them back to France. On his last trip he went to Canada because his friend wanted to set up colony, but no one wanted to leave France. So he asked the king to give him some prisioners to make a colony. -
Jan 1, 1542
Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo
He led the first European Expedtion of what is now the West Coast. He left Navidad, Mexico with his ship. He arrived at a enclosd port which is now today the San Diego Bay. Juan died soon after hid Expedtion in the West Coast. After he died his crew pushed on to near Oregon but got pushed back by winter storms. -
Dec 13, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishmen to sail around the world. Queen Elizabeth 1 chose him to do a secret expedition to the Pacific coast of North America. On his way they captured a spanish ship which was loaded with gold, silver, and jewles. He was afraid that there would be other spanish ships trying to attack him so he traveled across the world to get back to England. He was greeted as a hero and still is today. -
John Davis
Wanted to find a northwest passage like many other explorers. He did not find one because of the ice. He did however rediscover Greenland. He searched the west coast of the island. The island was lost after the norse time 3 centuries ago. -
Henry Hudson
Tried to find a route to the far east by going through the Artic. The first time he did it he failed. They company he worked for then did not send him on another trip. He moved to Holland and worked for another company. They sent him on another trip to the Artic. He close to the Arctic when his crew threatned to commit mutiny if he didnt turn around. He did and went back. He moved back to England and tried again but only found the Hudson Bay.
