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Nov 13, 1460
Prince Henry
He was an infante (son of the king, but not heir to the throne) to the Kingdom of Portugal and an important person in the beginning of the Portuguese Empire. He helped develop European exploration and trade with other continents.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_the_Navigator</a> -
May 29, 1500
Bartolomeu Dias
He was a Portuguese explorer, a knight of the royal court, superintendent of the royal warehouse, and captain of the Man-of-War (his ship), and the first European to have sailed around the sourth tip of Africa in 1488.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartolomeu_Dias</a> -
May 20, 1506
Christopher Columbus
He was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer born in northern Italy. Under the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he lead four explorations to the "New World" across the Atlantic that raised awareness of the Americas and the western hemisphere.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus</a> -
Feb 22, 1512
Amerigo Vespucci
He was an Italian cartographer (map-maker), financier, navigator, and explorer. The latin version of his name is 'America', and is believed to be responsible for the naming of North and South America.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci</a> -
Jan 12, 1519
Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Spanish explorer, conquistador, and governor. He was the first European to lead an expedition in 1513 that had reached the Pacific from the New World.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_Núñez_de_Balboa</a> -
Apr 27, 1521
Ferdinand Magellan
He was a Portuguese explorer responsible for the search of a westward route to the "Spice Islands" (Indonesia) under the rule of King Charles 1 of Spain. He was the first to sail across the Pacific Ocean, and his crew was the first to sail all the way around the world.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Magellan</a> -
Jul 1, 1521
Ponce de Leon
He was a spanish explorer that was appointed Governor of Puerto Rico by the royal Spanish Crown. He also was the first European to reach Florida (he named it), and is associated with the legend of the 'fountain of youth', which was believed to be in Florida.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Ponce_de_León</a> -
Dec 23, 1524
Vasco de Gama
He was a portuguese explorer, and he was in command of the first ships to sail from Europe to India. Also, in 1524, he was the viceroy (governor) of Portuguese India before he died.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama</a> -
Jun 26, 1541
Fransisco Pizarro
He was a spanish explorer that lead conquests in North and South America. Also, he is well known in Peru for leading the attack on the Incan Empire. Pizarro's military victory was the most improbable in history, because he was vastly out-numbered. He also converted the countries of the Incan Empire to Spanish Catholic.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Pizarro</a> -
Dec 2, 1547
Hernan Cortes
He was a Spanish Conquistador in charge of the expedition caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. He also was responsible for bringing large parts of Mexico into the rule of the King of Castile. He was a part of the generation that began the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
<a href='' >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernán_Cortés</a>
