-
Leif Erickson is a Norse explorer from Iceland. He was thought to have been the first European to set foot on the Americas.
-
Prince Henry the Navigator was not an actual sailor or navigator. He is often known with expanding the reach to Africa, Asia and the Americas. He was a sponsor and in 1415 some of his ships reached the canary island which had already been claimed. 1418 his ships and the people established a colony at Porto Santo.
-
Bartolomeu dias sailed for the country of Portugal. He is also known for sailing around the tip of Africa. Opening a way for a sea route from Europe to Asia.
-
Columbus was a explorer/ navigator who was able to complete four voyages. Crossing the Atlantic ocean creating more passages for European exploration.
-
Vasco da Gama sailed around Africa and all the way to India. He became the first explorer to travel to India n the atlantic ocean. In 1497 he rounded at the cape of good hope anchoring in Malindi off the east coast of Africa.
-
John Cabot had sailed for the English and searched for the passage to the pacific ocean along the coast of canada and newfoundland. This became the bias of England's claim on North America. He was sent by King Henry VIII for his expedition across the Northern Atlantic.
-
Amerigo had his first voyage on May 10, 1497. When he went on his third/ most successful voyage, he found present day Rio. He called it the New world thinking he found a new continent. Also in 1507 America was named after him.
-
Juan Ponce de Leon was in search of the Fountain of Youth and gold. He landed on the East coast of present day Florida in 1513. While in his search of the fountain of youth it led to the first Spanish settlement in the Americas.
-
Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer. He is known mostly for crossing Isthmus of Panama over to the Pacific Ocean in 1513. He became one of the first European to lead an expedition. He also was the first to reach the Pacific from the New World.
-
Hernan Cortes was the one who conquered the Aztec Empire. In his success in conquering the Aztec Empire he encouraged other conquistadors to explore the Americas as well. Hernan was also in search for gold and riches to make himself and Europe wealthy. It was in 1519 that he landed on the East coast of present day Mexico.
-
Ferdinand Magellan was the one who organized the expedition that headed to the East Indies from 1519-1522. He was a Portuguese explorer. His voyage was apart of the first circumnavigation, it was completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.
-
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was part of the Spanish expedition in 1528. He was in search of riches. His group came in contact with the natives, they sailed south from present day Florida to present day Mexico.
-
Francisco Pizarro led a army to conquer and take the Inca empire's wealth. The group later executed the ruler of the Inca, arrested and killed many of its people, because of their inability to fight without their ruler.
-
Frenchman Jacques cartier sailed down the St. lawrence river all the way to montreal claiming lands for france.He also claimed Canada. He was the first to map the gulf of St. Lawrence.
-
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado was searching for the 7 cities of Cibola for the gold. HIs travels took him through Northern Mexico, present day Arizona, and New Mexico. After he was convinced there was no gold to be found, other member went in search of it on their own, also finding none.
-
Hernando de Soto was searching to find gold and other riches. In 1541 his group crossed the Mississippi river. They traveled for three years in search of gold.
-
Juan Cabrillo is best known for his travelings of the West coast of North America. He was a Iberian maritime explorer as well. He became the first European to explore the present day California, traveling and navigating across its coast. He discovered San Diego on september 28, 1542 while in search of the Strait of Anian.
-
Henry Hudson sailed on many voyages providing new information about North America's waterways. In 1607 he was wanted to find a northern route to India and Asia. During this he and his group were able to explore some of Greenland before turning back because of cold conditions.
-
Samuel de Champlain was many things. Impressively he made between 29 voyages to the Atlantic Ocean. He was also known for founding New france between the time 1603-1635, and Quebec, on July 3, 1608.
-
Henry Hudson led a Dutch expedition to present day new york in 1609. He went looking to find a Northeast passage or something similar to the Northwest one. Later on in a river was named after him, it was named the Hudson river.
-
Rene-Robert De La Salle was a fur trader in North america. He was also an explorer of North America exploring, Mississippi river, gulf of Mexico, Canada and the great lakes. While exploring with his men near the mouth of Mississippi having no luck of finding what they were looking for, his men murdered him.
