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First European believed to have set foot on North America. He went to Norway, was converted to Christianity by Count Olaf, and on his way back was blown off-course and landed on America.
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Opened a school for sailors and gave them financial support that helped them explore the seas.
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Sailed from Portugal to the tip of Africa. Discovered the Cape of Good Hope (1488)
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He made four trips across the Atlantic to the Americas (1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502).
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Sailed all around Africa to India, won European race for route to Asia. (1497)
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He landed in Canada, claiming it for England.
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Merchant, explorer, and cartographer. He sailed around the tip of South America, discovering that the New World was, in fact, not a part of Asia (Everyone else thought it was).
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Crossed Central America do discover the Pacific Ocean
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Accompanied Columbus on his voyages. Also founded Florida in 1513.
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Conquistador who had an exploration in Mexico. He defeated the Aztecs. Spent the rest of his life seeking validation from Spain.
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Ferdinand Magellan headed an expedition in 1519 that circumnavigated the world.
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Was shipwrecked, but made the best of it and found present-day Texas. He was attacked by Indians along the way.
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He claimed Canada for France, much like Cabot did for England.
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He was an explorer known for defeating the Inca.
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Led an exploration in 1540 up the western coast of Mexico and southwestern America.
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Explored Florida and Mississippi, but died after crossing the Mississippi river.
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Discovered the San Diego Bay while searching for the Strait of Anne.
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His first sailing trip was in 1609, before he was recalled to England to find a shorter route to Asia. He was driven back twice by ice in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in Canada in 1608.
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After being driven back by the ice in the Atlantic Ocean, he tried a different approach and went more eastern-ish, hearing of a route across North America on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. When this was done, he went on a voyage for England in 1610. He never returned, victim to mutiny from his crew.
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La Salle explored for France in 1684. He and his crew went from Illinois to Louisiana (Named after King Louis XIV of France), but was killed by his crew in present-day Texas.
