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1000
Leif Eriksson
He was a viking sailor who left Scandinavia and landed in present-day Canada. He was the first European in North America. -
1487
Bartolomeu Dias
Discovered southern tip of Africa and called it "The Cape of Good Hope." He was sponsored by Portugal. -
1492
Christopher Columbus
He tried to get to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic, but instead landed in the Americas. He was sponsored by Spain. -
1497
John Cabot
He was sponsored by England. He was sent to look for a Northern sea route to Asia. -
1498
Vasco da Gama
He found a sea route to Asia and sailed along the coast of Africa, all the way to India. He was sponsored by Portugal. -
1498
Pedro Alvarez Cabral
He claimed the country of Brazil in South America for Portugal and set a settlement there. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci
He explored the coast of South America. His voyage was sponsored by Spain. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
He was the first European to see and claim the Pacific ocean for Spain. -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon
He was sponsored by Spain. He was the first person from Spain to land at Florida. He searched for "The Fountain of Youth." -
1519
Hernan Cortes
He conquered the Aztec Empire and took their gold making him and Spain very rich. He was sponsored by Spain. -
1520
Ferdinand Magellan
He sailed completly around the world or circumnavigated. He was sponsored by Portugal. -
1524
Giovanni de Varrazano
He was sponsored by France. He was sent to look for another northern route. He explored present-day Nova Scotia to the Carolinas. -
1528
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
He went to Florida, Mexico, then Texas. He enslaved an African named Estevanico and conquered Native Americans.He was sponsored by Spain. -
1531
Francisco Pizarro
He conquered the Inca empire in Cuzco, Peru. He was sponsored by Spain. He took the riches that they had as well. -
1535
Jacques Cartier
he was sponsored by France. He sailed up the St. Lawrence River hoping to make it to the Pacific and failed. -
1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
He was sponsored by Spain. He went through Mexico, Arizona, and New Mexico. He looked for gold but didn't find any. -
1541
Hernando de Soto
He was sponsored by Spain. He crossed the Mississippi River. -
1542
Juan Cabrillo
He was sponsored by Spain. He was the first to see what is now California. Rather than wealth, he gained knowledge from the Navive Americans there about economics. -
Henry Hudson
He was sponsored by the Netherlands. He found the Hudson River. The next year he found the Hudson bay. -
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette
They were sponsored by France. He sailed the Mississippi River looking for precious metals. -
Robert Cavelier de La Salle
He was sponsored by France. He sailed the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed the land for France, naming it Louisiana.
