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Jan 1, 1001
Leif Ericsson
Ericsson sailed off course and found Greenland and left a claim stone. He sailed off to the new world (America) he was the first person to step foot onto the new world. -
Mar 22, 1455
Prince Henry the Navigator sailed for Portugal
Astronomy, mapmaker, shipbuilding, found a school for sailors, spent his money on the school and expeditions exploring the coast of Africa. -
Aug 1, 1487
Bartolomeu Dias sailed for Portugal
Sailed from south Portugal to the bottom of Africa (Cape of good hope) in 1488. Became first to round the southern tip of Africa. Opened a sea trade from Europe to Asia. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus sailed for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain
Columbus wanted find a way to India, China, Japan, and the spice lands. The king and queen gave him 3 three ships, Santa Maria, Nena, Penta. During his trip he accidentally "discovered" the Americas. He died in 1506. -
May 10, 1497
Amerigo Vespucci sailed for Spain
America was named after him. Vespucci made a map of America for himself but he made the map so well that everyone started using it soon the named America after him. -
Jun 24, 1497
John Cabot sailed for the English
He was an Italian explorer searching for a passage to the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Canada and Newfoundland. Became basis of England's claim to North America. -
Jul 8, 1497
Vasco da Gama sailed for Portugal
Da Gama sailed around Africa all the way to India. He was the first European to reach India by sailing the Atlantic Ocean. He made friends with an Indian merchant he met in Malindi, which helped him he set sail across the Indian Ocean. The Muslims in Calicut weren't very nice and he had to fight. Later he returned to Calicut to get back at the people of Calicut for the massacre of Portuguese explorers, he won. He became sick and died in Cochin in 1524. -
Apr 2, 1513
Juan Ponce de Leon sailed for Spain
Explored present-day Florida, looking for the "Fountain of Youth" -
Sep 25, 1513
Vasco Nunez Balboa sailed for Spain
He thought he could please the King of Spain (King Ferdinand) by looking for gold. In search of gold Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean. -
Feb 1, 1519
Hernando Cortes sailed Spain
A conquistador who explored Mexico in 1519. Conquered the Aztecs. -
Sep 20, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan sailed for Spain
His expedition circumnavigated the world. He was trying to find a western sea route to the spice lands in Indonesia which circumnavigated the world. -
Jun 1, 1527
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca sailed for Spain
De Vaca was accompanied by Estevanico (a slave) and others, explored the North American southwest looking for 7 cities of gold -
Nov 15, 1532
Francisco Pizarro sailed spain
A conquistador who explored the Andes Mountains of South America and conquered the Inca empire. -
Apr 20, 1534
Jacques Cartier sailed for France
sailed all the way down the Saint Lawrence River to present-day Montreal, claiming lands for France. -
May 1, 1539
Hernando de Soto sailed for Spain
Explored Florida and North Carolina discovered Mississippi River. -
Feb 1, 1540
Francisco Vasquez de coronado sailed for Spain
Explored through northern Mexico, present-day Arizona, and New Mexico. Hit a zuni settlement in 1540. Then he traveled to the Colorado River after finding no gold. -
Jun 27, 1542
Juan Cabrillo sailed for Spain
Was the first to sight California in 1542. He was an Iberian maritime explorer. was undertaken on behalf of the Spanish Empire -
Samuel de Champlain sailed for France
Gave France a claim in present-day Canada along the Saint Lawrence River -
Henry Hudson sailed for the Netherlands
Led a Dutch expedition to present-day New York. -
Henry Hudson sailed for the Netherlands 2
Set sail for his last expedition but was abandoned by his crew in James Bay he never found a route to Canada. -
Rene- Robert De la Salle sailed for France
Sailed though the Mississippi River. Claimed the lands along the Mississippi Valley.
