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Oct 9, 1001
Leif Erkison sailed for Iceland
He was a viking Norse explorer from Iceland. The first European to set foot in continental North America approximately half a millennium before Christopher Columbus.Tried to stay, but attacks by Native Americans forced them to leave. ( too isolated as well). In 1000 Leif Erikson was blown off course by a storm he landed on a coast of N. America and landed on the Labrador Peninsula in present-day Canada. -
Aug 1, 1418
Prince Henry the navigator provided England
Prince Henry was neither a sailor nor navigator. He established a school for sailors and provided financial support that enabled the Portuguese to start exploring the oceans along the west coast Africa. -
1488
Bartolomeua Dias sailed for Portugal
Sailed from Portugal southward made it to the bottom of Africa. Bartolomeu Dias was a nobleman of the Portuguese royal household and he was a Portuguese explorer. In October 1486 King John II appointed Dias as the head of an expedition to find a trade route to India. It took a year of preparation before Bartolomeu Dias began his journey. He sailed around the southern tip of Africa in 1488, the first European to do so, setting up the route from Europe to Asia later on. -
Aug 30, 1492
Christopher Colmbus sailed for Spain
Tried to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, landed in the Americas but believed he had reached Asia. Christopher Columbus had three ships on his first voyage, the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus Sailed for Spain. -
1497
John Cabot sailed for the English
John Cabot was a Venetian explorer Cabot traveled by sea from Bristol to Canada, which he mistook for Asia. He then made a claim to the North American land for King Henry VII of England. Known for his 1497 voyage to North America, where he claimed land in Canada for England. After setting sail in May 1498 for a return voyage to North America. -
May 10, 1497
Amerigo Vespucci sailed for Spain
Amerigo Vesupucii sailed to South America in 1501. America was named for Amerigo Vespucci. His explorations led to maps of the new world which later helped Europeans understand the world around them. -
May 20, 1497
Vasco de gama sailed for Portugal
Vasco de Gama was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage was the first to link Europe and Asia by an ocean route, connecting the Atlantic and the Indian oceans and therefore, the West and the Orient. In summary, he sailed all around Africa and all the way to India, winning the European race for a sea route to Asia. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed for Spain
Led an expedition that crossed Central America to discover the Pacific Ocean.In 1501, he crossed the Caribbean coasts from the east of Panama, along the Colombian coast, through the Gulf of Urabá toward Cabo de la Vela. The expedition continued to explore the north east of South America -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon Spanish explorer
Juan Ponce de Leon is credited with being European to reach Florida. In April 1513 he landed on the coast of Florida at a site between Saint Augustine and Melbourne Beach looking for the fountain of youth and gold. -
1518
Hernan Cortez Spanish explorer
Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador and explorer who defeated the Aztecs and claimed Mexico for Spain. He first set sail to the New World at the age of 19. Cortés later joined an expedition to Cuba. In 1518, he set off to explore Mexico. -
Sep 20, 1519
Ferdinand Magellen sailed for Portugal and later Spain
Ferdinand Magellan is most known for being an explorer for Portugal, and later Spain, who discovered the Strait of Magellan while leading the first expedition to successfully circumnavigate the globe. In summary, he led an expedition in 1519 that circumnavigated the world. -
1527
Alavr Nunez Cabeza de Vaca Spanish explorer
Alavr was a Spanish explorer who sailed to the North American southwest in search of the 7 cities of gold from Spain. His expedition involved 250 to 300 men. -
1531
Francisco Pizarro the Spanish
In 1531 Francisco Pizarro's a conquistador led an expedition of 180 men and 37 horses sailed to the Inca empire in Peru and conquered it and also explored the Andes Mountains -
Apr 20, 1534
Jacques Cartier sailed for France
Jacques Cartier (a Frenchman) was sent on an expedition by King Francis I. He sailed down the Saint Lawrence river all the way to present-day Montreal (the northern lands) claiming lands for France. But, went it hopes of discovering old, spices, and a passage to Asia (northwest passage). He sailed from Saint-Malo with two ships and 61 men -
1538
Hernando de Soto Spanish explorer
Hernando embarked on a mission to conquer Florida for the Spanish crown, greater glory and riches. He explored not only Florida but North Carolina and he discovered the Mississippi river. Hernando and his men traveled nearly 4,000 miles while having to fight off Native American attacks along the way. -
Sep 22, 1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Spanish explorer
Spanish conquistador and explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led a large expedition from Mexico to present-day Kansas through parts of the southwestern United states. He was in search for cities of gold discovered the Grand canyon -
Jun 27, 1542
Jaun Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed and explored for Spain
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European exploration that is now the west coast of the United States. He departed from the port of Navidad, Mexico He is best known for his explorations of the coast of California (what is now the west coast of the United states). -
Samuel de Champlain French explorer
Samuel de Champlain (french explorer) began exploring the North west in 1603. He is most know for the founding and establishing of the city of Quebec in the northern colony of New France and mapping the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes. Finally he settled as the administrative role as the de facto governor of New France in 1620. -
Henry Hudson English explorer
Henery Hudson's made two unsuccessful sailing voyages in search of an ice-free passage to Asia. His first two voyages were through Arctic waters and proved to be unsuccessful due to ice.He was also hired to find a shorter route to Asia from Europe though the Artic Ocean. -
Henry Hudson English explorer
His third and fourth voyages were to North America where he discovered and sailed the Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay all of which were named after him. He also explored parts of the Arctic ocean. This voyage was funded by the Dutch East India Company. -
Rene-Robert De La Salle French explorer
Rene-Robert De La Salle was sent by King Louis XIV. He traveled South from Canada and sail down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. He was the first European to to travel the length of the Mississippi River. The expedition entailed four ships and 300 sailors to establish a French colony on the Gulf of Mexico at the mouth of the Mississippi River and challenge Spanish rule in Mexico.
