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Jan 1, 1000
Leif Ericsson
Leif Ericsson was a viking who sailed to Iceland, Greenland, and to North America from Scandinavia. He was the first known European to come to North America. -
Mar 22, 1455
Prince Henry the Navigator Sailed for Portugal
Though he never sailed himself he did set up a school for navigation. He arranged voyages and examined what they brought back. Through the voyages he arranged he found a sea route Asia. -
Aug 1, 1488
Bartolomue Dias Sailed for Portugal
Bartolomue Dias sailed from Portugal to the tip of Africa, which was called Cape of Good Hope. He didn't want to call it that because of the struggle they went through there. He wanted to call it the Cape of Despair. -
Aug 3, 1492
Christopher Columbus Sailed for Spain
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer who wanted to find a quicker sea route to Asia. He had three ships which were called, Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. He landed in the Americas But still thought it was Asia even when he died. -
May 1, 1497
John Cabot Sailed for English
He searched for a passage to the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Canada and Newfoundland. -
Aug 29, 1497
Vasco da Gama Sailed for Spain
In 1497 Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa all the way to India. He won the European sea route to Asia. -
May 10, 1501
Amerigo Vespucci Sailed for Spain
He sailed to South America and America was named after him. -
Sep 25, 1512
Vasco Nunez de Balboa Sailed for Spain
Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed Central America. By doing this he discovered the Pacific Ocean. -
Mar 1, 1513
Juan Ponce de Leon Sailed for Spain
He explored what is present day Florida. He was one of the few that where not searching for gold. He was searching for the fountain of youth. -
Sep 20, 1519
Ferdinand Magellan Sailed for Spain
He set out for an expedition to circumnavigate the world. He failed to do so though when he died 3/4 of the way around. -
Jun 17, 1527
Alavar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca Sailed for Spain
He a slave and a group of others went searching for the 7 cities of gold. He explored North American Southwest. -
Apr 1, 1535
Jacques Cartier Sailed for French
He wanted to find a route to the Pacific but instead he found Mont-Royal. -
Apr 1, 1539
Hernando de Soto Sailed for Spain
He explored North Carolina and Florida. He spent three years looking for gold then died from a fever. -
Feb 23, 1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Sailed for Spain
He explored North America Southwest looking for the 7 cities but instead found the Grand Canyon. -
Jun 27, 1542
Jaun Cabrillo Sailed for Spain
He explored the West coast of North America. -
Samuel de Champlain Sailed for France
He claimed the Saint Lawrence River for France. -
Henry Hudson Sailed for Dutch
He set sail to find a passage through America. He failed to do so but did discover the Hudson River. -
Henry Hudson Sailed for Dutch
He found the Hudson Bay. When he found Hudson Bay he thought he found the Pacific and spent moths searching for an outlet but his crew didn't like the wait. The crew got so impatient that they put Hudson, his son, and a few other sailors in a small boat. The group they put in the small boat was never seen again. -
Rene-Robert De La Salle Sailed for the French
He claimed the Mississippi River and everything that touched it.
