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1498 BCE
Christopher Columbus - sailed for Spain
His 3rd voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean -
1000
Leif Erikson - Viking
1st European to reach North America -
1487
Bartolomeu Dias sailed for Portugal
Sailed to the bottom of Africa and found the Cape of Good Hope (Bottom of Africa) -
1492
Christopher Columbus - sailed for Spain
1st trip sailed to North America, across the Atlantic ocean, believed he had reached Asia -
1493
Christopher Columbus - sailed for Spain
His 2nd voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean -
1497
Vasco de Gama sailed for Portugal
1st to sail around Africa all the way to Asia. -
1497
John Cabot - Sailed for England
England sent, Italian, John Cabot to look for a Northern sea route to Asia. He probably landed on the coast of present-day Newfoundland. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci - Sailed for Spain
Sailed along the coast of S. America. He took such good notes about the coast that mapmakers were convinced this was not Asia and named the new land "America" in his honor. -
1500
Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed for Portugal
On his way around Africa, he went too wide and ended up in Brazil, South America -
1502
Christopher Columbus - sailed for Spain
His 4th and final voyage to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa sailed for Spain
He travels through central America and is the 1st European to see the Pacific Ocean (largest ocean on earth) -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon
Explored present-day Florida in 1513, looking for the "fountain of youth" -
1519
Hernando Cortes - sailed for Spain
This conquistador explored Mexico in 1519 and conquered the Aztec. -
Period: 1519 to 1522
Ferdinand Magellan Sailed for Spain
1st European to circumnavigate (sail completely around) the globe. -
1524
Giovanni de Verrazanno - Sailed for France
In 1524, France hired hired Giovanni de Verrazanno to look for a nothern route. He explored the coast of North America from present-day Nova Scotia down to the Carolinas. -
1527
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
accompanied by Estavancio (a slave) and others, explored North American Southwest looking for 7 cities of gold -
1532
Francisco Pizarro - Sailed for Spain
This conquistador explored the Andes Mountains of South America and conquered the Inca empire -
1535
Jacques Cartier
In 1535, French Explorer Jacques Cartier sailed up the St. Lawrence River, hoping it would lead to the Pacific. -
Period: 1539 to 1542
Hernando de Soto
Explored Florida and North Carolina discovered the Mississippi River -
Period: 1540 to 1542
Fransisco Vasquez de Cornado
cont. In North American Southwest, looking for cities of gold, discovered the grand canyon (AZ) -
1542
Juan Cabrillo Sailed for Spain
He explores up from Mexico and goes into modern day California. -
Henry Hudson is hired by the Dutch
The Dutch hired Hudson to look for a passage through the Americas and he discovers the Hudson River -
Henry Hudson - sails for the Dutch
Hudson is sent to try again and discovers a huge bay (and names it Hudson Bay) -
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette - Sailed for France
located and travelled the Mississippi river by canoe -
Robert Cavalier de La Salle- Founded Louisiana
He followed Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed it for France and called it Louisiana
