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1000
Leif Erikkson
He was a viking sailor who left Scandinavia and landed in present-day Canada. He was the first European in North America. -
1487
Bartolomeu Dias
Discovered the southern tip of Africa; and he called it "Cape of Good Hope" He was sponsored by Portugal -
1492
Christopher Columbus
He tried to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic, but he landed in the Americas. He was sponsored by Spain. -
1497
Vasco De Gama
He found a sea route to Asia and sailed along the coast of Africa all the way to India. He was sponsored by Portugal. -
1497
John Cabot
He was an Italian explorer who was sent to look for a northern sea route to Asia. He was sponsered by England. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci
He explored the coast of South America and realized it was a separate Contient, calling it the Americas. -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa: Sponsered by country of Spain
He was the first European to see the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific ocean. -
1513
Juan Ponce de Leon
He explored present-day Florida, looking for the fountain of youth. He was sponsered by Spain. -
1519
Hernan Cortes
He landed on the east coast of present-day Mexico. He conquered the Aztec Empire that had ruled the region within two years. -
1519
Franciso Pizarro
He explored the Andes Mountain of South America and he conquered the Inca Empire. he was sponsered by Spain. -
1520
Ferdinand Magellan
He was a Portuguese explorer who sailed for Spain, reached the southernmost tip of South America. He was sponsored by Portuguese. -
1520
Pedro Alvarez Cabral
He claimed the country of Brazil in South America for Portugal and set sail for the Atlantic ocean. And he was sponsered by Portugal. -
1524
Giovanni de Varrazano
He was an Italian explorer who explored the coast of North America from present-day Nova Scotia down to the Carolinas. He was sponsered by England. -
1528
Alvar Nunez cabeza de vaca
He was part of a Spanish expedition to Florida. He was sponsered by Spain. -
1535
Jacques Cartier
He was a French explorer who sailed up the St. Lawrence River, hoping it would lead to the Pacific. But he discovered a Mountain peak that he named Mont-Royal. He was sponsered by France. -
1540
Franciso Vasquez de Coronado
He was a explorer who searched for the seven cities of Cibola. He was sponsered by Spain. -
1541
Hernando de Soto
He led an expedition to explore Florida and what was today the Southeastern United States. He also crossed the Mississippi River. He was sponsered by Spain. -
1542
Juan Cabrillo
He was a Spanish explorer who first sighted what is now California. He was sponsered by Spain -
Henry Hudson
He was a English sea explorer and navigator who discovered the river that now bears his name. He was sponsered by the Dutch. -
Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette
They were two French explorers a fur trader Louis Joliet and a priest Jacques Marquette traveled the Mississippi River by canoe. They were sponsered by France. -
Robert Cavelier de La Salle
He followed the Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed the region for France, calling it Louisiana in honor of Louis XIV. He was sponsered by Mexico.