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Prince Henry the Navigator was a Portuguese royal prince, soldier, and patron of explorers. He sent expeditions down the African west coast, but never went on them himself. Prince Henry helped begin the Great Age of Discovery.
Enchanted Learning: Prince Henry -
Bartolomeu Dias was a Portuguese explorer and navigator who explored Africas coast. He was the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and circumnavigated it to open up many lucrative trading routes.
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Born in Genoa Italy in 1451, Christopher Columbus was an explorer who is credited with opening the Americas for European colonization. He sailed out in 1492 with the support of Spain after being rejected by Portugal and Italy. His ship was called the Santa Maria, and his other ships were called the Nina and Pinta.
Enchanted Learning: Christopher Columbus -
He was a portuguese explorer who discovered an ocean route from Portugal to the East. He traveled from Portugal to India and then back. Before his trip, people believed the Indian Ocean was not connected to any other ocean.
Enchanted Learning: Vasco da Gama -
The man America was named after, Amerigo Vespucci. On his first voyage, he traveled to the Amazon river for Spain. On his second voyage, he sailed for Portugal to the North Americas.
Amerigo Vespucci -
Explorer and conquistador Vasco Nunez de Balboa became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean in 1513. He became the governor of Darien in Panama. He was beheaded in 1519 for treason.
Vasco Núñez de Balboa Bio -
Juan Ponce de Leon was a spanish explorer and soldier who was the first European to set foot in Florida. He discovered the Gulf Stream and established tho oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico. He spent most of his time searching for the Fountain of Youth and other riches.
<a href='http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/deleon.shtml' >Enchanted Learning: -
Hernan Cortez was a Spanish conquistador who conquered the Aztec Empire and claimed it for the crown of Spain. He used deadly force to conquer Mexico and search for gold. Some believe he was a little mentaly unstable.
Biography.com/ Hernan Cortez -
Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese Explorer, led the first expedition around the world. He named the Pacific Ocean. He was originally an explorer for Spain, but after a disagreement with Manoel II, he sailed around the world for spain. The trip took 3 years and Magellan did not make it back. Only 18 of the original 270 made it back, and only 1 out of 5 ships.
Enchanted Learning: Ferdinand Magellan -
A spanish conquistador and explorer, Fransisco Pizarro conquered the Incas and founded Lima, the capital city of modern day Peru in 1531. He was assassinated in 1541 by political rivals.
Biography.com
