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Jan 1, 1473
Bartolomeu Dias- Portugal
Dias readied ships and then went sailing. When he reached Africa's coast, he hit a storm and and got bown Southwards. After the trip Dias named the Southern tip of Africa the Cape of Storms. It was later changed to the Cape of Good Hope because they could reach the Far East by sailing around it. -
Aug 17, 1492
Christopher Columbus- Italy
Columbus decided he would sail to Aisa, west. It took many years for him to get this approved though. He set sail in August, 1492 with three ships, Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria. The vogage went well at first but then the crew started to get scared but Columbus refused to turn back. They sailed around the Bahamas for a while and then on the Santa Maria wrecked. Where it did, he built a fort and it was the first European settlement in America. -
Jun 4, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas-Spain/Portugal
The Treaty of Tordesillas was between the Spanish and the Portuguese to to settle disputes on newly claimed land in the "New World". After Columbus discovered America it was clear that conflict would soon arise over land claims by Spain and Portugal. After further exploration, the Portuguese didn't like the agreement when they realized how much more land Spain was given. In June of 1494 the line was re-negotiated during a meeting in the Spanish town of Tordesillas. -
May 18, 1497
John Cabot-Italy
He made his first voyage to North America in 1497. He thought he was voyaging to Asia. He sailed along the coast, past Labrador, Newfoundland, and New England until he reached North America. He claimed the land he found for England. -
Jun 1, 1497
Vasco da Gama-Portugal
He was a Portuguese noble who sailed four ships around with his crew. At four months at sea his crew was sick and hungry and the water was bad. They landed in Mozambique, a Muslim trading center. They saw many goods and luxuries there but when the Muslims found they were Chrisitioans, they were forced to leave. Then they went to Kenya and took supplies. They also went to Calicut. After 11 months they arrived back at Lisbon and were greeted with much rejoicing. -
May 17, 1500
Pedro Cabral- Portugal
Pedro was the first person to discover Brazil and sail east to India. He led the first expidition in South America and claimed it for Portugal. He returned with many new goods and spices for his country. -
May 17, 1501
Amerigo Vespucci- Italy
Amerigo Vespucci started his explorations in 1501. He was one of the first explorers to come up with the idea that these places he had visited were not part of Asia but part of a "New World. After his explorations, Amerigo returned to Seville and became its Master Navigator. -
May 19, 1506
Ponce de Leon- Spain
He first sailed with Columbus on his second journey to the New World. He also served in the military. In 1506, Ponce de León discovered a nearby island named Borinquen. While there, he found large deposits of gold. Soon after his discovery, he left the island. He returned in 1508 on orders from the king of Spain to explore and colonize the island. He renamed the island Puerto Rico. He was the island's governor for two years until the king replaced him with Columbus' son. -
May 19, 1510
Francisco Pizzaro- Spain
He sailed with a fleet of 30 ships to the New World in 1502. He then set out with men and discovered the Incan empire. Then after trekking through deserts he met his men and they captured Atahualla. There he was invited to a feast but soon killed everyone there. -
May 19, 1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa- Spain
Balboa was the first to cross the Ithsmus of Pananma to the Pacific Ocean. He traveled and soon settled in the New World on an island named Hispanoila. There he founded a settlement called the Santa María la Antigua del Darién. Though it was later burned. -
May 19, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan-Portugal
Ferdinand became the first person to sail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and first to cross the pacific. Many of the men that went with him died including Magellan. They were either captured of died from battle or sickness. -
Jul 8, 1524
Giovanni Verrazano-Italy/France
It was believed that there might be a passage between North and South America, and so he was chosen by King Francis I to sail to this area and discover a new and quicker route to the Orient. He returned to France after several voyages with a claim of the New World for France on July 8, 1524. In 1528, while exploring the bahamas, he was killed and eaten by native ameriacn cannibals. -
Jun 17, 1527
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca-Spain
In 1527, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca heard the stories about the New World and joined the expedition to the New World lead by Pamfilo de Narvaez. In 1528, Pamfilo de Narvaez and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca arrive in Florida in the vicinity of Tampa Bay. The men disembark and the land is claimed for Spain. Various disasters befall the expedition which eventually result in the party which includes Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca is whittled down from 80 men to 4. -
May 19, 1530
Hernan Cortez-Spain
Cortez is famous for his march across Mexico, and conquering of the Aztec Empire. He soon began to build a new city on Aztec's ruins. He then brought many Europeans over and it became a huge European city. Cortez also discovered many new places in Spain. -
May 18, 1531
Jacques Cartier-France
In 1531, in less than three weeks, he was sailing down the coast of Newfoundland, discovering the Magdalen and Prince Edward islands. He then took possession of the Gaspe Peninsula for France. In 1535, he sailed out again and kidnaapped 12 idians including the cheif. He wanted them to tell him where the gold mine was, but there was no goldmine. -
Sep 28, 1542
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo-Spain
In 1542, Cabrillo led the first European expedition to explore what is now the west coast of the United States. The Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo expedition sailed out of the port of Navidad, near modern day Manzanillo, on June 24, 1542. He discovered San Diego Bay in 1542. He named it "San Miguel", back then. -
May 18, 1579
Sir Francis Drake-England
Queen Elizabeth made him the captain of an expedition to sail around the world. In 1579 he stopped near the present-day San Francisco to repair the Golden Hind. He claimed the land for England which he called New Albion. -
John Davis-England
John Davis Explored the west coast of Greenland in search of the northwest passage to Asia.He began striking the ice-bound east shore of Greenland, which he followed south to Cape Farewell. From there he turned north once more and coasted west Greenland some way, until, finding the sea free from ice, he shaped a "course for China" by the northwest. He tried again in 1586 and 1587; in the last voyage he pushed through the straits still named after him into Baffin's Bay, coasting west Greenland. -
Henry Hudson-England
On his final journey from England in 1610, he again headed northwest towards Canada, this time on the ship Discovery. In August Hudson found a body of water which at first he thought was the Pacific Ocean. The body of water was a large bay, which eventually was named the Hudson Bay.
