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Jan 30, 1418
Prince Henry the Navigator and his school for sailors
Prince Henry was a Portuguese prince,soldier, and explorer. He created a school for oceanic navigation. students at this school were trained in navigation,map-making, and science in order to sail down the west coast of Africa. -
Jan 30, 1453
Turkish Empire cuts off land route from Europe to Asia
The Ottomans cut off the land route to Asia, so the Europeans found another way by sea. -
Jan 31, 1488
Bartholomeu Dias
First European mariner to round the southern tip of Africa, opening a way for a sea route from Europe to Asia -
Jan 31, 1492
Columbus
Spanish explorer who made four trips across the Atlantic ocean in search of direct water route west from Europe to Asia. He never did and stumbled upon the "Americas". His journeys marked the beginning of centuries of trans-Atlantic conquest and colonization -
Jan 31, 1497
John Cabot
An Italian explorer who is thought to have developed the idea of sailing westward to reach the riches of Asia. While living in England, he gained commission from King Henry VII to sail across the north Atlantic, His landing locations is thought to be around New England -
Jan 31, 1502
Amerigo Vespucci
Italian born explorer/merchant who took part in the early voyages to the Americas on behalf of spain -
Jan 31, 1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
A Spanish conquistador and explorer who helped establish the first stable settlement in South America. While leading a expedition for gold he sighted the Pacific ocean. He claimed it for Spain thus opening the way for later Spanish exploration and conquest along the western coast of South America. -
Jan 31, 1513
Juan Ponce De Leon
A Spanish noble who governed the eastern province of Hispaniola . After catching rumor a fountain of youth, he set sail and landed in today's Florida. He was wounded by local natives on arrival -
Jan 31, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
A Portuguese explorer who was in search of fame and fortune. He set out from Spain with a fleet of five ships to discover a western sea route to the Spice Islands.he discovered what is now known as the Strait of Magellan and became the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean -
Jan 31, 1521
Hernandez Cortez
A Spanish conquistador who first served as a soldier in an expedition of Cuba. He traveled to Mexico with about 500 men and 11 ships in 1519 with the goal of overthrowing the Aztec Empire. At first he was defeated but returned later and took the capital. -
Jan 31, 1533
Francisco Pizzaro
A Spanish explorer,soldier, and conquistador. Pizarro entered the city of Cajamarca and took the Inca leader Atahuapla hostage. Despite having paid a ransom to spare his life, Atahuapla was killed . Pizarro then conquered Cuzco, another important Inca city, and founded the city of Lima, now the capital of Peru. -
Jan 31, 1534
Jacques Cartier
French navigator entrusted by king Francis I to lead a voyage to the New World in order to seek gold and other riches, as well as a new route to Asia. Cartier’s three expeditions along the St. Lawrence River would later enable France to lay claim to the lands that would become Canada -
Jan 31, 1540
Francisco Coronado
Spanish Explorer, discovered the Grand Canyon and other major physical landmarks of the region. -
Jan 31, 1541
Hernando de Soto
Spanish conquistador and explorer, embarked on a major expedition in 1538 to conquer Florida for the Spanish crown. traveled nearly 4,000 miles throughout the region that would become the southeastern United States in search of riches. Became the first Europeans to encounter the great Mississippi River -
Jan 31, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
English navigator and pirate,became the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. -
Sir Walter Raleigh
English adventurer,writer, and nobleman.established a colony near Roanoke Island, in present-day North Carolina. Delays, quarrels, disorganization, and hostile Indians forced some of the colonists to eventually return to England. However, they brought with them potatoes and tobacco, two things unknown in Europe at the time -
Jacques Marquette
French missionary and explorer, know for mapping the northern portion of the Mississippi -
Louis Jolliet
French explorer aided by Native American communities, explored the origins of the Mississippi River. -
Rene-Robert de La Salle
French explorer,best known for leading an expedition down the Mississippi River. He claimed the region watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries for France and named it Louisiana after King Louis XIV.
