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Jan 1, 1420
Prince Henry the Navigator
Prince Henry the Navigator was born in 1394 and was the son of Joao of Portugual. He was most famous for the voyages of discovery that he organized and finaced. That eventually lead to the rounding of Africa and establishment of sea routes to the Indies. He was also a devoted man and was governor of the Order of Christ from 1420 untill his death in 1440. -
May 18, 1487
Bartholomeu Dias
First European to lead the 1487 voyage around the cape of good hope on the southern most tip of Africa. Bartholomeu came from a noble portugese family. He was taught several languages, physics, geometry, mathmatics, astronmy. Lastly, Bartholomeu was a member of the portuguese court and held the title of sailing master of portugese man-of-war sao cristovao -
Jul 28, 1492
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was a Italian explorer who sailed across the Alantic Ocean in 1492. He hoped to find a route to India (in order to trade spices). Chirstopher Columbus, made a total of four trips to the Caribbeans and South American during the years of 1492-1504. Also, Columbus was the seacond one to discover America the Vikings were first -
May 19, 1493
Ponce de Leon
Ponce de Leon was a Spainish explorer born in 1460. In 1493, Ponce de Leon sailed with Christopher Columbus on Columbus' second voyage to the Americas. He and his family settled on the island of Hispaniola. He became a military commander at this post and became deputy governor.In 1506, Ponce de Leon discovered a island named Borinquen. While there, he found gold.He died in 1521. -
May 23, 1494
Treaty of Tordesillas
The Pope said that all lands discovered west of 100 leagues and west of the Cape Verde Islands should belong to Spain, while land discovered east of that line would belong to Portugal. This also specified that all lands already under the control of a Christian prince would remain under that same control.This limiting line made Portugal angry.In 1494, Spain and Portugal met at Tordesillas, Spain signed a treaty moved the line 270 leagues west,to 370 leagues west of Cape Verde. -
May 18, 1497
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama was Portuguese and was born in 1460 in Sines. He was chosen to lead an expedition to India. He opened a sea route that opened sea routes to India by the way of the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. King John II sent him to India in 1524 as viceroy but soon, he became ill and died on December 24, 1524. -
May 23, 1497
John Cabot
John Cabot was born in 1450 in Italy.He explored the Canadian coast and named many of its islands. The mission's purpose was to search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia. Cabot was unsuccessful, but he thought that he had reached NE Asia. He died in England in 1499. -
May 14, 1499
Amerigo Vespucci
In 1499, Amerigo expedition reached the mouth of the Amazon River and expolored the coast of South America. Amerigo Vespucci was able to calculate how far west he had traveled by observing the conjuection of mars and the moon. He was one of the exploers of the new world. -
Oct 10, 1500
Pedro Cabral
1500 of October 10 King John II made him the leader of an expedition to sail for the Indies following the success of the portuguese expolers Chirstopher Columbus, Vasco Da Gama, and Bartolomelu Dias- But the expedition sails west for the new world before heading for the Indies around cape of good hope. Pedro, discoverd Brazil and sailed east to india. -
May 20, 1504
Hernan Cortez
First he went to the island of Santo Domingo in 1504. He was only 19 years old at the time. He stayed there for seven years, then took part in the Spanish conquest of Cuba in 1511. He became mayor of Santiago de Cuba and stayed there until 1518.Cortes was eager for more power and conquests, so he talked the Spanish governor of Cuba into letting him lead an expedition to Mexico in 1519. He died in -
May 19, 1505
Ferdinand Magellan
Fernaind Magellan's first voyage at sea was in 1505 when he was 25 years old. Magellan, sailed with Fransico De Almedia Portugal's frist Admiral amd his fleet. Fernaind in 1511, he went on a expedtion to conquer Melaka. After, his victory a portugese fleet sailed to the spice islands (also know as the moluccas islands). -
May 19, 1513
Vasco Nunez De Balboa
Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was the first European to see (and stand in the waters of) the eastern shore of the Pacific Ocean, on September 13, 1513. He accomplished this feat after an arduous trek through the jungles of what is now Panama. He claimed the Pacific Ocean and all its shores for Spain, which opened the way for Spanish exploration and conquest along the western coast of South America. But it was the Portuguese explorer, Magellen (not Balboa), who, because its waters seemed -
May 23, 1519
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo
Litle is known about him until 1519 when his name appears in the ranks of those who served in the army of famous conquistador Hernan Cortes, where he joined in the conquest of Mexico and Guatemala. Cabrillo fought as a captain of crossbowmen in the battles between the Aztecs and the Spanish. After the defeat of the Aztecs, Cabrillo joined other Spanish military expeditions in what is today Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and San Salvador. Eventually he settled in Guatemala. He then died in 1543. -
May 23, 1524
Giovanni Verrazzano
Giovanni Verrazzano was born in 1485 and was an Italian navigator.In 1524, he explored the northeast coast of North America from Cape Fear to Maine while searching for a NW trip passage to Asia.He thought that North America was a narrow strip of land separating the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.He was killed and eaten by Carib Indians in 1528. There is now a bridge in New York named after him that connects Brooklyn and Staten Island. -
May 20, 1528
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer and was born in 1490. He explored Florida and Gulf region from Texas to Mexico in 1528. The expedition included 250 to 300 men. They encountered many obstacles, including hurricanes and Native Americans. He died in 1557. -
May 23, 1532
Francisco Pizarro
Francisco Pizarro was a Spanish conquistador who traveled through much of the Pacific coast of South America along Peru. He discovered the Incan empire,conquered it, stealing immense amounts of gold, silver, and other treasures. He got there in 1532 and traveled through many hard conditions. He held a king hostage and put him up for ransom. He eventually died in 1541. -
May 23, 1534
Jacques Cartier
Jacques Cartier was born in 1491 and was a French explorer. He led three expeditions to Canada, in 1534, 1535, and 1541. He was looking for a route to the Pacific through North America, but did not find one. By doing this, he paved the way for Frence to explore North America. He died in 1557. -
May 18, 1577
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake was born in 1540. He wanted to find the undiscovered continent supposed to be in the Pacific. He became a ships captain in 1577, and made several trips to the Gulf of Mexico and the Carribean Sea. Queen Elizabeth I chose him to lead a secret expedition to North America. He started his voyage in 1577 -
John Davis
An English explorer who explored the west coast of Greenland in search of northwest passage to Asia. He was born Sandrig, Devon, England. He died from being murdered. His occupation was an explorer and he discovered Falkland Islands. -
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was born in 1565and was an English explorer and navigator. He explored parts of the Arctic Ocean and NE North America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are named for Hudson.Little is known about His early life, but he was hiredto find a waterway from Europe to Asia. Hudson made two trips in 1607 and 1608, but failed to find a route to China. He later died in 1611.
