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Jan 1, 1420
Prince Henry-Portuguese royal prince, soldier, and patron of explorers
Henry had many sailing expeditions down the west coast of Africa, but he never went on any of them himself. he helped Portuguese sail to Madeira Islands , around Cape Bojador, Cape Blanc, sailed around Cap Vert and went as far as the Gambia River and Cape Palmas. Gil Eannes succeeded going farther than Cape Bojador in 1434.
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Jan 1, 1487
Bartolomeu Dias- Portuguese explore
King John the II made him leader of the expedtion to travel to the southernmost tip of Africa. He was the first European to sail around the southernmost tip of Africa. In 1488 they finally returned to Lisbon.
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Oct 12, 1492
Christopher Columbus-Italian Spanish navigator
Columbus discovered the island of Caribbean Sea. Columbus unintentionally discovered America while on a voyage to find a sea route to Spain. Columbus however wasn't the first person to discover America.
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May 10, 1497
Amerigo Vespucci-explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer
Click here for more informationThere are however serious doubts about his first voyage, that he actually didn't go on this voyage. His dates don't coordinate with the events. King Manuel I of Portugal sent Amerigo on many voyages to South America. He discovered that South America extended further south. -
Jul 28, 1497
Vasco de Gama-Portuguese Explore
On July 28, 1497 Vasco set sail to India. He failed this trip and was forced to leave his expedition. King Manuel I sent Vasco on another expedition to India in 1502.
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Jan 1, 1501
Vasco Nunez de Balboa-Spanish Explore
Rodrigo de Bastidas and Vasco Nunez de Balbao explored the new world together.Their ship began to leak and forced to abandon ship on the island of Hispaniola. On September 25, 1513 Vasco and a little party were crossing the mountains in the center of the peninsula. He was the first European to discover the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean.
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Jan 1, 1505
Ferdinard Magellan-Portuguese explorer
He went on his first voyage when portugal sent him to India. On March 22, 1518 Ferdinard was granted enough money for him to make a voyage to find a route to Spice Islands by sailing west. he set sail September 1519. Magellan died before the voyage was done. He got credit for the circumnavigation of the earth.
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Jan 1, 1509
Fransisco Pizzaro-Spanish Explorer
His first expedition was to know what we know as it Panama. In 1572 Fransisco made his first own expedition to find rumored civilization called the Incas. He wiped out the city of Incas. He also got Ecuador and Columbia for Spain.
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Mar 1, 1513
Ponce de Leon-Spanish Explorer
Ponce was granted to take a voyage to find the foutain of youth in the Bahamas. Instead of reaching the Bahamas he had reached Florida. He hadn't relized that he had hit North America. After not find the foutain of youth he headed back and took another voyage 5 years later to find it. He died in July 1521 on the voyage.
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Nov 1, 1519
Hernan Cortes-Spanish Explorer
Herman and his crew reached the Aztec capital, where him and his crew were treated like kings. Herman was soon later run out of the capital of Aztec of June 1520. Becuase of Herman conquests he was made governor and captain general of New Spain in 1523.
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