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Jul 15, 1000
Leif Ericsson
explored northern Atlantic, made voyage to what is now North America, first European to reach the Americas, not given credit for discovery because of no permanent settlements or return voyages -
Period: Jul 4, 1271 to Oct 10, 1294
Marco Polo
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Apr 9, 1419
Prince Henry the Navigator
no actual voyages, paid for and sponsored schools for improvements in sailing and boat design, increased technology available to European sailors such as the compass and astrolabe, ideas on improving ship design, and gathering information for the drawing of new, more accurate maps -
Period: Dec 13, 1452 to Sep 26, 1577
FrancisDrake
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Jan 27, 1488
Prince Henry the Navigator
no actual voyages, paid for and sponsored schools for improvements in sailing and boat design, increased technology available to European sailors such as the compass and astrolabe, ideas on improving ship design, and gathering information for the drawing of new, more accurate maps -
Oct 12, 1492
Christpher Columbus
ventured west to reach the East (Asia), discovered New World, made four voyages to the Caribbean, established Spanish colonies in the New World, died still thinking he found a route to Asia -
Jun 24, 1497
John cabot
gave England an early claim in the New World, explored the coastline of eastern Canada and New England -
May 20, 1498
Vasco da Gama
first man to reach India by sailing around southern tip of Africa, five ships loaded with spices and other materials, only two of his ships made it back to Portugal, but the value of his cargo paid for the expense of the trip 60 times over -
Aug 23, 1499
Amerigo Vespucci
cartographer who sailed on Spanish ships exploring the northern coast of South America, drew his maps and had them printed in Europe, because of his effort, the lands of the New World received the Latinized version of his name -
Apr 22, 1500
Pedro Cabra
explored Indian Ocean and defended trade routes to India to give Portugal control of trade in India, blown off course by a storm while trying to round Africa, landed in northern South America and gave Portugal a claim in the New World, claimed Brazil for Portugal -
Apr 2, 1513
Juan Porce De Leon
conquered the island of Puerto Rico for Spain and became its governor, claimed Florida for Spain, looked for the Fountain of Youth -
Sep 25, 1513
Vasquez NunezDe Balboa
explored the isthmus of Panama, first European to see the Pacific Ocean, later executed for treason by fellow conquistador Pizarro -
Period: Mar 2, 1519 to Aug 13, 1521
Hernan Cortez
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Period: Sep 20, 1519 to Sep 22, 1522
Ferdinand Magellan
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Mar 1, 1524
GiovanniDaVerrazano
explored east coast of North America from North Carolina to Labrador, looking for the Northwest Passage, later killed in Brazil while exploring the islands of the Caribbean and northern South America -
Period: Nov 16, 1532 to Mar 23, 1534
Francisco Pizzaro
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Jul 24, 1534
Jacques Cartier
explored St. Lawrence River and eastern Canada looking for the Northwest Passage, gave France a claim to inland Canada -
Sep 22, 1540
FranciscoVasquez DeCoronado
explored present-day Southwest U.S. from Texas and the Great Plains to the Sierra Madres, looking for "Eldorado" or "City of Gold" told of in Native American folklore, first European to see the Grand Canyon -
May 8, 1541
Hernando de soto
involved with Pizarro in the conquering of the Inca in South America, explored Southeastern North America, probably traveled through North Carolina and possibly Rutherford County, first European to see the Mississippi River -
Samual DeChamplain
explored St. Lawrence River and eastern Canada looking for the Northwest Passage, established the first permanent French colony in America, it was the city of Quebec -
Period: to
Henry Hudson
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Period: to
ReneRobertCavelierSieur De LaSalle
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Vitus Bering
explored northern Pacific and Arctic Oceans, gave Russia a claim in the New World, explored coastline from Alaska to Oregon, proved Asia and North America were separate continents, strait between the two continents is named for him -
Period: to
James cook
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Robert E. Peary
first man to reach the North Pole -
Roald Amundsen
first man to successfully sail the Northwest Passage in an icebreaking cruiser, first man to reach the South Pole by land -
Period: to
Richard E. Byrd
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Yuri Gagarin
Russian cosmonaut became the first man in orbital space flight on Vostok I in 1961, total time of first human space exploration was 1 hour and forty-eight minutes, never returned to space -
Alan Shepard
first American astronaut of the Mercury program to fly in space in 1961, total flight time was 15 minutes and 22 seconds, later was a member of the Apollo 14 mission that landed on the moon in 1974 -
Period: to
John Glenn
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Valentina Tereshkova
first woman in orbital space flight on Vostok 6 in 1963, orbited the Earth 48 times in 2 days, 22 hours, and 50 minutes -
Neil Armstrong
member of the Apollo 11mission that became the first to successfully land on the surface of the moon, first man to step on the moon's surface and he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." -
Sally Ride
first American woman in space, crew member on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983
