-
1000
Leif Erickson
Explored the Lands west on greenland. -
1488
Bartolomeu Dias
Discovered southernmost tip of Africa and named it the Cape of Good Hope. His trips were sponsored by Portugal. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Discovered the Caribbean islands. Sponsored by Spain. -
1497
Pedro Alverez Cabral
Was sponsored by Portugal. Found Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. -
1497
John Cabot
Looked for a water passage through North America to Asia. Sponsored by France. -
1498
Vasco da Gama
Went around Cape of Good Hope to India which proved there was another route to India for Portugal. Sponsored by Portugal. -
1513
Vasco Nunez De Balboa
Sponsored by Portugal. First European to see and claim the Pacific Ocean. -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon
Made the first Spanish landing on the east coast of present day Florida. Look for the fountain of youth. Sponsored by Spain. -
1519
Hernan Cortes
Conquered the Aztec Empire and stole all their gold. They were sponsored by Spain. -
1522
Ferdinand Magellan
Reached the southernmost tip of South America. Was the first person to circumnavigate the world. -
1524
Giovanni de Varrazano
Also looked for the Northern Passage. Explored North American coast from present-day Nova Scotia down to the Carolinas. -
1531
Francisco Pizarro
Led an army to the Inca Empire and arrested the leader, took control of the Inca Empire. Sponsored by Spain. -
1533
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
He learned of a rumor about the Seven Cities of Gold and told people in Mexico all about it. -
1535
Jacques Cartier
Discovered a mountain peak and named it Mont-Royal. -
1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Searched for Seven Cities of Gold found nothing, traveled west of the Colorado River to Kansas. -
1541
Hernando de Soto
Looked for the Seven Cities of Gold for three years and also crossed the Mississippi River. Sponsored by Spain. -
1542
Juan Cabrillo
First person to see California. Sponsored by Spain -
Henry Hudson
Discovered a river and named it after himself. Sponsored by the Dutch. -
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette
Traveled the Mississippi river in a canoe looking for the Northern Passage. -
Robert Cavelier de La Salle
Followed the Mississippi river down to Gulf of Mexico and claimed it for France.
