European Explorers

Leif Eriksson

Jan 1, 1000

In 1000 AD, Leif Eriksson, a viking explorer, set sail from Green land and headed west. He found Vinland, or "vine" land. He was the first to find it and spent many winters settling in the newly found land.

Vikings

Jun 1, 1000

Vikings were people who lived in Northern Europe in 1000 AD which is now the area of Noway, Sweden, and Denmark. They headed west and built settlements in what is today Greenland and Northern Canada.

Vinland

Sep 1, 1000

Vinland was found by Leif Eriksson and his vikings on the coast of Canada, Noth America in 1000 AD. It was named Vinland by Leif Eriksson and his crew. The island was covered in vines, and was therefore named "vine" land and shortened to "Vinland".

Marco Polo

Jan 1, 1271

Marco Polo was an Italian explorer. He traveled to Asia with his father and uncle. They traveled to Alexandria, Damascus and Baghdad. He also discovered Constantinople. He sailed to new cities and informed Europeans about them. He also wrote a book about China which got many other explorers interested in China.

Constantinople

Aug 14, 1271

Constantinople was found by Marco Polo with his father and uncle in 1271. It got taken over by the Turks in 1453. It is located in the middle east.

Prince Henry

Jul 1, 1480

Prince Henry was the prince of Portugal at one point, and had a lot of money. So, he decided to start a navigation school. The students at his school learned how to read and make maps, build all kinds of boats, and make navigational tools.

Bartholomeu Dias

Jun 1, 1488

Bartholomeu Dias was a Portugese sailor. He was the first all the way around the southern tip of Africa, or the Cape of Good Hope.

Martin Behaim

Apr 1, 1492

Martin Behaim was a German map-maker. He made the first globe of the world in 1492 and was paid by Germany.

Guanahani

Sep 1, 1492

Guanahani was an island discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

Christopher Columbus

Nov 16, 1492

Christopher was an Italian-born Spanish sailor. He was the first to discover America. He tried sailing west in order to reach Asia, but instead found America, which was unknown to Europe.

Vasco da Gama

Nov 1, 1496

Vasco da Gama was a Portugese explorer. He sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to India about ten years after Barthomeu Dias sailed around the tip of Africa. He was the first to find a route to Asia and was successful in retrieving spices and silk for Portugal.

Giovanni Caboto

Dec 1, 1497

Giovanni Caboto was an Italian explorer. In 1497, he sailed across the Ocean Sea on a voyage paid for by England and discovered what is today known as Newfoundland.

Amerigo Vespucci

Aug 1, 1499

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian sailor. He sailed to a location south of where Christopher Columbus had landed which is present-day South America. He realized that neither Christopher Columbus, nor Giovanni Caboto had really reached Asia. Our country, the United States of America, was therefore named after him.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa

Mar 1, 1513

Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer. He was the first to cross the Isthmus of Panama. He also found the Pacific Ocean. He named it "pacific", which ment peaceful since it was much more peaceful than the Atlantic Ocean.

Ferdinand Magellan

Apr 17, 1519

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portugese explorer. He sailed around what is now known as the Strait of Magellan in 1519. He proved that Christopher Columbus's theory of sailing west in order to reach Asia was partially true, except that you had to go around the Americas.