-
1000
Leif Erikson Sailed for Scandinavia in 1000
Lief Erikson was a Viking and was one of the first people to land in the Americas after his ship was blown off coarse during a storm while sailing to Iceland. -
Mar 22, 1455
Henry the Navigator Sailed for Portugal
Henry was the prince of Portugal and was also the person who sailed the coast of Africa. He sailed for Portugal to find new lands and trade routes. He created a school for navigation where he taught map making, astronomy, and how to sail. -
1488
Bartolomeu Dias Sailed for Portugal in 1488
Bartolomeu Dias sailed for Portugal in 1488 southward to the tip of Africa. When he made landfall he called it the Cape of Despair which they named the Cape of Good Hope so that people would actually want to sail there. -
1492
Christopher Columbus Sailed for Spain in 1492
Columbus's voyages led to the new exchange between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to try and sail west to find a trade route to Asia from Europe. He later landed in the Caribbean thinking it was Europe until his death. -
1497
Vasco de Gama sailed for Portugal in 1497
Vasco de Gama sailed for Portugal in 1497 around the Cape of Good Hope and the tip of Africa to India winning Portugal the European race to discover a trade route to India for Spices. Making Portugal in charge of the spice trade which angered Europe so they went out on an exploration which ended up finding the Americas. -
Jun 24, 1497
John Cabot Sailed for England
Cabot was an Italian sailer who sailed for the English. He was searching for a sea passage to the Pacific Ocean which this later led to Europe claiming North America. -
1502
Amerigo Vespucci Sailed for Italy in 1502
Amerigo realized that Columbus never actually landed in the new world so he set sail to go and find the actual Americas, leading to the name of the Americas after him. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa Explored for Spain in 1513
Vasco was the first Spanish explorer to discover the Pacific Ocean. -
Jan 1, 1513
Juan Ponce de Leon Sailed for Spain
Juan was a Spanish explorer who who sailed for a European expedition. He explored Florida, North Carolina, and searched for the fountain of youth. He later governed Puerto Rico. -
Jan 1, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan Sailed for Spain in 1519
Ferdinand Magellan headed on a journey to circumnavigate the world in 1519. -
Jan 1, 1519
Hernando de Soto: Florida
Hernando was A European Explorer who landed on the coast of Florida being the first to discover Florida, North Carolina, and even found the Mississippi river. Even though La Salle had already claimed it for France. Hernando de Soto sailed for the Spanish crown. -
Jan 1, 1521
Hernan Cortes Sailed for Spain
Cortes was a Conquistador for Spain. In 1519 he conquered the Aztec and explored modern day Mexico. He sailed for the Spanish crown. -
Jan 1, 1528
Francisco Pizzarro Sailed for Spain
Pizzaro was a Spanish conquistador.. He explored South America and also explored the Andes Mountains where he found the Inca Empire which he conquered. This later led to the Spainsh conquest in Peru. -
Oct 6, 1528
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca sailed for Spain
Alvar sailed for Spain and explored the southwest of North America. He sailed in search of the seven cities of gold. While doing this he shipwrecked on the coast of Texas and was one of the first Europeans to explore the southwest. -
Apr 20, 1534
Jacques Cartier Sailed for France
Cartier was a Frenchman who sailed the St. Lawrence river. He sailed and landed in Montreal and which lead to France claiming portions of North America. -
Jan 1, 1542
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado: Grand Canyon
Coronado was a Spanish explorer who traveled through the southwestern parts of North America. His main goal was to find cities of gold after he heard stories of cities of gold while he was governing a city in Mexico. He was the first European to discover the Grand Canyon. -
Sep 1, 1542
Jaun Rodriguez Cabrillo Sailed for Spain
Cabrillo was a Portuguese sailor who mapped most of the US. He sailed for the Spanish crown and was the first European to set foot in California. -
Henry Hudson Sailed for the Dutch
Henry Hudson was an English captain and led the Dutch expedition to New York. He explored Amsterdam and was it was because of Hudson's expeditions that led to the naming of the Hudson River. -
Henry Hudson:Marooned
Hudson's crew decided to throw him overboard after they ran out of food and supplies. They then returned to Europe and where charged and arrested with mutiny. -
Samuel de Champlain: St. Lawrence
Champlain mapped the coast of Canada and the great lakes, and was also the first Frenchman to establish a settlement in Canada which is now modern day Quebec. -
Rene-Robert de La Salle: Mississippi River
La Salle was a french explorer set out to to claim lands in the new world for france. When he landed at the Mississippi River he said that France now owned all land that connected to that river and any river that went into it. Which without him even know claimed France a ton of land.
