Historic Explorers

Leif Erikson

1000

Leif Erikson left and went to other places, He sailed to Iceland and named it so that no one would go there because it was beautiful. Then He went to Greenland and named it so that people would go there instead of iceland. The he went to the edge of Canada and named a rock.

Prince Henry

1415

made a boat with a V shaped bottom to make it easier to sail made Caravels Boats with squares and triangle sails. Squares to sail with the wind. Triangle sails to sail against the wind.

Dias

1488

Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, sailed from Portugal southward made it to the bottom of Africa
Discovering the southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope

Columbus

1492

Columbus was italian . Colubus went to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to get boats to go to Asia . King Ferdinand did not like the idea but Queen Isabella convinced him (King and Queen of spain). The Nena, The Pinta, and The Santa Maria were the ships he sailed in . Columbas sailed from Europe to a small island in the Bahamas and claimed the land in 1492. He sailed 4 times because people wanted more stuff.

Da Gama

1497

Vasco da Gama in 1497, sailed all around Africa. Explorer He was also commissioned by the Portuguese king to find a maritime route to the East.

Cabot

1497

John Cabot was an Italian salling for the English, he searched for a passage to the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Canada the Newfoundland. This because basis of England’s claim to North America.

Cabrillo

1499

Juan Rodrigyez Cabrillo explored some of the West Coast of America. He sailed of behalf of the Spanish Empire in 1499. He was also the first European to explore what is now present-day California in 1542.

Vespucci

1501

America was named for Amerigo Vespucci, who sailed to South America in 1501, Also discovered the amazon river, studied the native americans in present day Rio. Died of Malaria.

Balboa

1513

Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed Central America to discover the Pacific Ocean in 1913. He tried to become a farmer once but it didn’t work. Cause of death- Accused of treason and was beheaded. Explored the specific cost and claimed it for Spain 1513.

De Leon

1513

Juan Ponce de Leon explored present day Florida in 1513 looking for the “fountain of youth”. He was accompanied with about 200 other people and two ships.

Magellan

Sep 19, 1519

Ferdinand Magellan headed an expedition 1519 The fleets set sail on September 19 that circumnavigated the world, his enemy was King Charels the 3rd. When accused of trying to kill the men Magellan left them on an island to rot. First to reach the Philippines. He caught a spear, in the chest and died in the Philippines.

De Vaca

1528

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was looking for the 7 cities of gold and started filling in blanks. Accompanied by Estevanico (A slave) and others They explored North America Southwest.

Cortés

1529

Hernando Cortés a conquistador who explored mexico in 1519, conquered the aztec. He brought three things that made him superior , Weapons and armor, horses and dogs, and bigger numbers.

Pizarro

1532

Francisco Pizarro a conquistador who explored the Andes Mountains of South America and conquered the Inca Empire, While in the army he heard of an empire so he went to find them

Cartier

Jun 9, 1535

Jacques Cartier a Frenchman that sailed down the Saint Lawrence river all the way to present day Montreal. He claimed the lands for France.

De Soto

May 18, 1539

Hernando de Soto explored Florida and North Carolina in 1539. He also helped the spread of disease. Died of malaria.

De Coronado

1540

Francisco Vasquez De Coronado continued exploring North America Southwest looking for the 7 cities of gold. Instead he discovered the grand canyon.

Champlain

1603

Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer that discovered Lake Champlain in 1609. He also explored other places like present day northern New York.

Hudson (#1)

1609

Henry Hudson an English captain led a Dutch expedition to present day New York in 1609. He had the Hudson river named after him.

Hudson (#2)

1611

January 1611 The crew maroons Henry, his son, and three others. No one knows what happened to him.

De La Salle

1677

Rene Robert De La Salle was a French explorer and fur trader in North America. He also explored the Great Lakes part of the United States and Canada. He also explored the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico .