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Jan 1, 1000
Leif Ericson: Norwegian explorer
Ericson was the son of Eirik The Red, a Norwegian explorer who colonized the southwestern part of Greenland. As Leif made his way to Greenland, it is believed that he was driven off course by a bad storm and followed the old legend of the 'heavily forested land' to the West, being the first European to set foot on North America, despite the popular belief North America was discovered by Christopher Columbus. Click Here For More Information -
Jan 1, 1245
Marco Polo: Venetian traveling merchant
Born in 1254, Marco Polo traveled far from Venice all the way to Asia with his brother and father as they learned about the cultures and working as merchants. He also served on the court of a Chinese ruler. After 24 years of traveling, the men returned to Venice. Marco eventually married and had three children and died in 1299. Click Here For More Information -
Jun 24, 1497
John Cabot: English explorer
John Cabot was born and raised in Italy but moved to England when he was 45 years old. In the year 1497, at the request of King Henry VII, he sailed to Canada and landed near Newfoundland and claimed the land for England. He died two years later in 1499. Click here for more information. -
Jan 1, 1534
Jacques Cartier: French explorer
Jacques Cartier, like many others, took his first voyage in search of a route to east Asia through North America. His first stop was in Newfoundland. From there he traveled to other parts in Canada including Prince Edward Island. Click here for more information. -
Jan 1, 1577
Sir Francis Drake: British explorer
Francis Drake was the second man to sail around the world> He sailed from England down to the tip of Brazil and up the western coast of South America and North America. He then went west towards Asia and sailed through Indonesia to the south of Africa. He made his final stretch from South Africa up the western coast and back to England. Click here for more information. -
Jan 1, 1578
Sir Walter Raleigh: British explorer, poet, and historian
In 1578, Sir Walter Raleigh sailed to America with his half brother. Just 7 years later, in 1585, he sponsered the colony known as Roanoke Island, now North Carolina. In 1592, he also began searching for El Dorado, the legendary 'City of Gold' in Venezuela. a href='http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/raleigh_walter.shtml' >Click here for more information.</a> -
Samuel de Champlain: French explorer
Samuel de Champlain mapped and navigated most of northeastern Canada for the French. He was crucial in colonizing most of the French land gained. In 1603, he sailed to Gaspe Peninsula. Click here for more information. -
Henry Hudson: Dutch explorer
Click here for more information.In his third attempt to find a western sea path to Asia, Henry sailed from Amsterdam and into the harbor in New York in early September of 1609. He and his crew sailed up what is now known as the Hudson River and ran into many troubles with the Native Americans. -
James Cook: British explorer
James Cook was born in Yorkshire, Britain. He became an explorer and in 1769, was the first European to land in New Zealand. On his second voyage, he sailed farther south than any other explorer had at the time and sailed around the ice of Antartica. In his lifetime, he circumnavigated the globe twice. Click here for more information. -
George Vancouver: British explorer
George Vacouver was a military man for 25 years before starting his exploring career. He sailed the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound in 1792. He named every landmark he saw on his journey, with a total of 75 things he named. These included islands, mountains, and waterways. Click here for more information.
