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Jan 1, 1000
Leif Ericcson
Born 980? The year is uncertain. He was a viking (Norse) who was possibly the first Europen to reach America. He was born in Iceland. In 1000 he reached America. -
Jan 1, 1418
Prince Henry
Born in 1394, He was also known as Henry the Navigator.
In 1418, he founded the school of navigation for future explorers. -
Jan 1, 1487
Bartolomeu Dias
Sailed for Portugal. He went around the Cape of Storms in Africa he was looking for a water route to India, a trade route. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus 1st Voyage
Chrisopher was born in 1451. Columbus explored the new world which he thought was Asia but it was actually present day North and Central America. He found that on October 12, 1492. He had found a new world, it was one of the most important exploration period. -
Sep 25, 1493
Christopher Columbus Second Voyage
He sailed with 17 ships and 1200-1500 men. to find gold and capture the Indians of the New World. He made a base in Hispaniola and along Southern Cuba. On November 3, 1493, Columbus named an island Dominica. -
Jan 1, 1497
John Cabot First Voyage
John Cabot took his first voyage to present day Canada. He landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island. Where he exactly landed is uncertain. One of his three sons, Sebastian accompained him on this trip. -
Jan 1, 1497
Vasco Da Gama
Born in 1460. He was a Portuguese explorer who found a path from Spain to the East. Most people thought he could not complete this task. He died in 1524 in India. He connected Europe to India. -
Jan 1, 1498
John Cabot Second Voyage
On this trip, John may have reached America, but some scientists are uncertain. -
May 30, 1498
Christopher Columbus Third Voyage
On this voyage, Columbus sailed farther south to Trinidad aas well as Venzuela. This included the Orinoco River. He was the first European to step on America besides Leif Ericcson. -
Jan 1, 1499
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was born in 1454, he was an Italian Explorer. Amerigo sailed for Spain on this voyage. He was the first to realize that the Amreicas were not the continent of Asia. He sailed for Spain on his 1st expedition and found south America. On his second expedition, he sailed for Portugal in 1501. He discovered the Amazon river in South America. He believed it was part of Asia. Later, he started to map eastern South America, and realized that this was not Asia, but part of a New World. -
Jan 1, 1500
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
He was born in the year 1475. Vasco sailed to Columbia, South America from Spain in 1500. When they got the Northerrn coast of South America they searched for pearls and gold. Vasco married the Indian Chief, Careta's, daughter. They tried to pig farm but it was unsuccessful. He conquered the Native Americans. He found the Pacific Ocean. -
May 9, 1502
Christopher Columbus Fourth Voyage
On his final voyage, Columbus sailed to Mexico, Honduras and Panama. And Santiago (present day Jamaica.) When he died, he was buried in the eastern part of Hispaniola which is now called the Dominican Republic. -
Jan 1, 1508
Sebastian Cabot
Britain employed Sebastian for his first voyage. He tried to find a Northwest passage across North America. Later in his life, he tried to sail around the world for Spain. Very little is known about Sebastian, most of the reminants from his journey are gone. -
Sep 14, 1510
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Francisco was born in 1510. First European to explore North America's southwest. He was a governor of a Western Province of Mexico. He went on an expedition to USA, but he did not find gold, silver, or other treasures so his expedition was a failure. -
Sep 8, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan
Born in 1480. Sailed through a straight later named the Staright of Magellan after Ferdinand himself. Him and his crew went to attempt to sail the whole way around the world. Only some of his people made it. Most of them had died along the way, including himself in the Phillippines. -
Jan 1, 1521
Hernando Cortes
Hernando sailed with 11 ships to the Yucatan Pennisula looking for gold and other treasures. He went there because he heard of the great riches that the Yucutan held. -
Jan 1, 1524
Hernando De Soto
Born in 1500? (date not certain) Hernando was a Spanish explorer. In 1534, he went on an expedition to Nicaragua, South America. He went on this expedition with Francisco de Cordoba. In 1531, De Soto went on another expedition, this time to Peru, where he counquered the Incan empire and its empire. On May 30, 1539 Hernando took 10 ships to the west coast of Florida. They explored the area, killed natives and their societies as well as search for gold and silver. -
Jan 1, 1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano
Giovanni de Verrazzano was an Italian navigator who, in 1524, explored the northeastern coast of Northern America from Cape Fear, in North Carolina all the way to Maine while searching for a Northwest passage to Asia. -
Jan 1, 1528
Estevanico
Possibly born in 1500. He was a slave of Andres Dorrantes De Corranza. Andres took Estevanico on an expedition to Florida in 1528.The four men finally reached the Spanish settlement of Culiacan in 1536 (8 years after being stranded in Florida). Later thhey reached Mexico City, where they were welcomed by the Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza. -
Sep 1, 1532
Francisco Pizarro
Born in 1478. He was a Spanish Conquistador and traveled through the Pacific Coast of the America along Peru. He was looking for gold. Pizaarro found the Incan tribes and had their leader strangled. He destroyed the Incan captial and then was assisinated. -
Jan 1, 1534
Jaques Cartier
Led three expeditions to Canada. He wanted a passage around the new world. Found the St. Lawrence river and tried to start a settlement, but it was abandoned quickly. -
Dec 13, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
Born in 1540. Led the second expedition to travel the world in 1577. He left from Plymouth, England with 6 ships, They sailed to Brazil and through the straight of Magellan. His trip was successful and he was paid 10,000 euros because of his success. -
Sir Walter Raleigh
British explorer. He let an expedition to both South and North America because he was trying to find new settlements. He went to find gold and increase trade with the New World. He sent colonists to the east coast of North America. -
Henry Hudson
The Hudson Strait, Bay, and River were all named after him.He was hired by the Dutch East India Company in 1609 to try to find the Northwest passage farther south. He sailed to Nova Scotia and afterwards, sailed south. Then he found the Hudson River. -
Peter Minuit
Born in 1580. He is famous for buying the island of Manhattan. Trinkets there were valued at $24. Minuit died on a trading mission. He died from a hurricane in the west indies. -
Jaques Marquet
A French Jesuit priest as well as explorer. He sailed to Quebec, Canada in 1666 and 1671. Started a Chippewa mission at Chequamegon Bay. First Caucassions to see the Mississippi River.
