Explores of the Americas

Exploration of the Americas

Period: 1490 to 1600

Columbus is the first European to discover the Americas

Oct 12, 1492

Christopher Columbus is the first European to discover the Americas (besides the vikings in the 10th century). This starts a chain of expeditions to the Americas by the Europeans in search of routes and wealth.
Picture: Depiction of Christopher Columbus in the New World.(1451-1506) (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/depiction-of-genoese-navigator-christopher-columbus-news-photo/113634332?adppopup=true

John Cabot Explores NewFoundland

1497

Balboa Discovers the Pacific Ocean

1513

Spanish Explorer and Conquistador, Vasco Núñez de Balboa, is the first European to lead an expedition to reach the Pacific Ocean from the New World.

Conqustadors conquer aztecs

1521

Conquistadors arrive in Central and South America and defeat the Aztec empire. "Storming of the Teocalli by Cortez and His Troops" (1848) by Emanuel Leutze (Photo by The American Conservative.com)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/meet-the-new-conquistadors-silicon-valley-moguls/

Ferdinand Magellan Circumnavigates the world

1522

Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, leads an expedition around the globe through a route around South America reaching the Philippines and proving that the world is round.
Picture: Map showing the Voyage of Magellan's ship,the Victoria (1519-1522) (Photo by Universal History Archive/Getty Images)
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/illustration/antique-map-royalty-free-illustration/515010925?adppopup=true

Narvaez expedition

1527

Journey of Spanish exploration and colonization of Florida in hopes of establishing settlements and garrisons there. After being attacked by the local indigenous tribes, ravaged by disease and starvation, as well as mass desertion the expedition ended in failure in 1536.

Conquistadors conquer the Incas

1534

The Spanish conquers the Inca empire, the war lasts from 1532-1534.

Jacques Cartier explores Eastern Canada

1534

French explorer Jacques Cartier sailed along the coast of Eastern Canada in search of a new route to China.

Orellana sails along the Amazon

1542

Francisco de Orellana sails along the whole length of the Amazon River in South America.

Frobisher explores Northern Canada

1576

English explorer Martin Frobisher leads an expedition in search of a route to China through Northern Canada. Instead he sailed his crew into a bay.

Drake sails around the world

1580

Sir Francis Drake, an english pirate and skilled sailor, sails around the world using a similar route Magellan had used. Along the way he stole and raided treasures from the spanish.