-
1000
Leif Erickson : sponsored from Scandinavia
He was the first European to reach the North America -
1488
Bartolomeu Dias : sailed for the country of portugal
Sailed from Portugal southward made it to the bottom of Africa
-discovering the southern tip of Africa , the Cape of Good Hope -
1488
Pedro Alvares Cabral: sponsored
He is know for landing in the country of Brazil and South America. He starts a settlement there, for Portugal -
1492
Christopher Columbus: sailed the ocean blue to Spain
Tried to reach Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic,l landed in the Americas but believed he had reached Asia(even when he died in 1506
-Made four trips across the Atlantic -
1497
Vasco Da Gama: was sponsored by the country of Portugal
Sailed all around Africa and all the way to India, winning the Europeans race for a sea route to Asia -
1497
John Cabot: an Italian looking for a northern sea route to Asia
Cabot probably landing on the coast of present-day Newfoundland. -
1499
Amerigo Vespucci : led a voyage funded by Spain
On this and a later journey for Portugal , he explored the coast of South America.Vespucci realized south America was a separate continent, and not the part of Asia -
1513
Vasco Nunez de Balboa: sponsored by the country of Spain
He is know for landing in present day Panama and he is the first European to see the Pacific Ocean -
1513
Juan Ponce de Le: sponsored by Spain
He made the first Spanish landing on the east coast of present-day Florida. According to legend, he was not looking for gold. He hoped to find the legendary fountain of youth. -
1519
Hernando Cortes: a conquistador sponsored by Spain
landing on the east coast of the present-day Mexico, within two years, Cotres conquered the Aztec Empire that had ruled the region .Huge amounts of Aztec gold made Cortes and Spain wealthy -
1520
Ferdinand Magellan:a Portuguese explorer who was sailing for Spain
Reached the southernmost tip of south America . He sailed through the stormy waters of a narrow sea passage , or strait . -
1524
Giovanni de Varrazano: France hired another Italian
To look for a northern route, Varrazano explored the coast of north America from present-day Nova Scotia Down to Carolinas -
1528
Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca: was a Spanish expedition to Florida
After coming into conflict with Native Americans in Florida, the expedition sailed south toward Mexico in November -
1531
Francisco Pizarro: a conquistador sponsored by Spain
He explored the Andes Mountain of south America and conquered in Inca Empire -
1535
Jacques Cartier: sailed up the St. Lawrence River
Hoping it would lead to the Pacific. He didn't get to the Pacific but he discovered a mountain peak that he named Mont-Royal -
1540
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado: another conquistador
He searched for the Seven Cities of Cibola, his travel took him through northern Mexico and present-day Arizona and New Mexico but he couldn't find no gold -
1541
Hernando de Soto: led an expedition to explore Florida
Florida is now what we call southeastern United States.For three years they traveled, following stories of gold -
1542
Juan Cabrillo: a Spanish explorer
First sighted what now is California. The Spaniards trained Native America who lived on the mission as farmers -
Henry Hudson: he discovered the river that now bears his name
Hudson sailed north on the Hudson River as far as the site of present-day Albany, New York -
Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet: French explorers
Marquette traveled the Mississippi River by canoe, he was hoping to find precious metals. They were also looking for a Northwest Pas -
Robert Cavelier de La Salle
He followed Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, he claimed the region for France, calling it Louisiana in honor of Louis XIV
