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Aug 18, 1576
Martin Frobisher
In 1576, Frobisher began a series of three trips to what is now Canada, and found some ore that he thought was gold (it was not gold - it was pyrite, also called Fool's Gold) on Baffin Island (Frobisher claimed Baffin Island for England). -
Dec 13, 1577
Francis Drake
In North America, he claimed the land he called "Nova Albion" for the Queen (his exact location was kept secret, but he may have sailed as far north as northern California or even Vancouver Island, Canada). -
Sir Humphrey Gilbert
He successfully sailed again on June 11, 1583, with 5 ships. One ship had to return because of leaks, but the others eventually made it to North America. -
Henry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English explorer and navigator who sailed to northern North America four times. -
Samuel Hearne
Samuel Hearne was an English explorer, fur-trader, author, and naturalist. He was the first European to make an overland excursion across northern Canada to the Arctic Ocean. -
Alexader Mackenzie
Sir Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish-born fur trader and explorer who charted the Mackenzie River in Canada and also traveled to the Pacific Ocean. Mackenzie emigrated to Canada in 1779. -
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver was an English explorer and navigator who sailed to the northwest coast of North America. -
David Thompson
Thompson was a mapmaker, surveyor, fur trader, and journal writer.Thompson explored western North America, including what is now western Canada and the western USA. -
Sir John Franklin
Sir John Franklin was an English explorer and Admiral who proved the existence of a Northwest Passage (a water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through Canada). -
John Rae
John Rae was a Scottish explorer, surveyor, and surgeon who explored the Canadian Arctic. Rae made three voyages, in 1848-1849, 1851, and 1853-1854, to find the Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin, who had disappeared together with his Arctic expedition.
