-
1000
Lief Erickson - Viking
1st European to reach N. America. -
Period: 1240 to 1542
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
North American Southwest, looking for cities of gold, discovered the Grand Canyan. -
1487
Bartolomeu Dias sailed for Portugal
Sailed to the bottom of Africa and found the Cape of Good Hope (Bottom of Africa) -
1492
Christopher Columbus - Spain
Sailed to North America, across the Atlantic Ocean, believed he had reached Asia. -
1493
Christopher Columbus - Spain
His 2nd Voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean. -
1497
Vasco De Gama sailed for Portugal
1st to sail around Africa all the way to Asia. -
1498
Christopher Columbus - Spain
His 3rd Voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean. -
1498
John Cabot Sailed to Canada
Cabot's expeditions were the first of Britain's claims to Canada. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci - Sailed for Spain
Sailed along the coast of S. America. He took such good notes about the coast that mapmakers were convinced that this was not Asia and named the new land "America" in his honor. -
1500
Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed for Portugal
On his way around Africa he went to wide and ended up in Brazil, South America. -
1500
Pedro Alvares Cabral
First European to see Brazil on April 22. -
1502
Christopher Columbus - Spain
His 4th and final Voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
First European to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean. -
1513
Jaun Ponce de Leon Sailed for Spain
He went looking for the Fountain of Youth in modern day Florida. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed for Spain
He travels through central America and is the 1st European to see the Pacific Ocean (largest ocean on Earth) -
1519
Hernan Cortes Sailed for Spain
Went into Central America (modern day Mexico) and conquered the Aztec. -
Period: 1519 to 1522
Ferdinand Magellan Sailed for Spain
1st European to circumnavigate the globe. -
Period: 1528 to 1536
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and Estevanico (his slave)
Explored the North American Southwest looking for 7 cities of gold. -
1532
Francisco Pizzaro Sailed for Spain
He went to South America and conquered the Inca Empire. -
1534
Jacques Cartier
Sailed down the Saint Lawrence river all the way down to present-day Montreal, claiming lands for France. -
Period: 1539 to 1542
Hernando de Soto
Explored Florida and North Carolina discovered Mississippi River -
1542
Juan Cabrillo Sailed for Spain
He explores up from Mexico and goes into modern day California -
Henry Hudson
Led a Dutch expedition to present-day New York.
