Early Explorers

Marco Polo

Dec 2, 1271

Have you ever herd about Marco Polo not the game the explorer. He set sail in 1271. He went to China to meet there rulers. He mainly went out to explor Asia. The trip was sucsessful. He met Chinas rulers and stayed in China for 20 years. Now you might know a thing or two about Marco Polo.

Bartolomeu Dias

Dec 2, 1488

Do you know Bartolomeu Dias. Hes a very famous explorer. He set sail in 1488. He set sail because the king wanted to know if you could reach China by sailing around the tip of Africa. It was sucsessful because he got around the tip and returned. As you can see hes really popular.

Christopher Columbus

Aug 3, 1492

Heres a little information about Christopher Columbus. Columbus set sail Aug. 3, 1492. He set sail to find a water route to the Indies. His voyage was not sucsessful. Because he didn't actuly find the Indies he found a whole new contenint. Those are a few things about Christopher Columbus.

Vasco da Gama

Dec 2, 1497

Have you herd of Vasco da Gama. He set sail in 1497. Now that the king new he could reach China by sailing around the tip of Africa. So he went to China by sailing around the tip of Africa. It was sucsessful because he got to China and back. Thats a little bit about da Gama

Giovanni Caboto

Dec 2, 1497

Did you know that Giovanni Caboto changed his name to John Cabot. He set sail in 1497. He set sail to reach Asia by sailing west. It was sucsessful because he got to Asia sailing west. Theres a thing or two about Giovanni Caboto.

Amerigo Vespucci

Dec 2, 1499

Do you know Amerigo Vespucci? He set sail in 1499. He went on his voyage to prove Columbus wrong. It was sucsessful. Because he had a cartographer make a map. Columbus ended up being wrong. Vespuccis expedition was the first sucsessful expedition to travel around the world. Now you know Amerigo Vespuocci!

Alvarez Cabral

Dec 4, 1500

Brazil is one of the few places clamed by Portigal in the new world. Alverez Cabral set sail in 1500. He set sail to claim Brazil for Portigal. His trip was sucsessful he claimed Brazil. He ended up being the first Eropian to discover Brazil. Thats why Brazil is one of the few places clamed by Portigal in the new world.

Vasco Balboa

Dec 4, 1513

Do you know who the first Spanyard was to see the Pacific Ocean? Its Vasco Balboa! He set sail in 1513. He set out to prove Vespucci right. It was sucsessful. He was the first one to prove Vespuccis idea right. Thats why he was the first Spanyard to see the Pacific Ocean.

Juan Ponce

Dec 9, 1513

Ponce went with Chrisopher Columbus on his second voyage. Later he helped take over Puerto Rico. He herd about a island to the north called Bimini. In 1513 he set out to find Bimini but insed he found what is now called Florida. When he got to Florida he claimed it for Spanish and called it La Florida. He never found the great riches he was looking for.

Fenard Magellan

Dec 4, 1519

Did you know Magellan died during his trip? Magellan and his crew set sail with 5 ships in 1519. Olny 2 of the ships made it through the voyage. Magellan hapened to be on 1 that crashed. He set sail to reach the Spice Islands with a western sea route. It was sucsessful even though Megellan died. They still got to the Spice Islands. Now you might have lerned a thing or 2 about Fenard Magellan.

Cortes

Dec 9, 1519

When they were fighting half of Cortes solgers died. Cottes and his crew found safty with the indians who helped him earlier. The next year Cortes reterned to Tenochtitlan to capture Aztec treaserse. With the help of the indians the Spanish tore down the Aztec temples and destroyed the great city.

Verrazano

Dec 15, 1524

The French king Francis 1. Wanted to find Northwest pasage. In 1524 he sent a Italian Verrazano. The king gave him all the suplies he needed.

Narvaez

Dec 9, 1528

Narvez a Spanish explorer led a expedishion to La Florida to conquer the lands around the gulf of Mexico. He met a lot of America tribes on the way. So they got in a lot of fights. exept for 1 battle in Alibama they lost a fight. Because the indians destroyed all there suplys. Olny 4 people survived. Narvas himself died.

De Soto

Dec 11, 1539

He tried to capture the southeast. They were the first crew to see the Mississipy River. They landed in Tampa Bay. He also battled a lot of tribes. They tried to find a lot of gold but didn't find any. Most of his people fled in battle. But they did end up gaining a lot of land.