Explorers

Explorer 1. An explorer is a person who is seeking new geographic or scientific information.

Exploration 2. An exploration is the journey that an explorer takes.

Map of the World as Columbus knew it.

Christopher Columbus Traveling to India around the southern tip of Africa was dangerous and difficult. An Italian sailor by the name of Christopher Columbus proposed finding a new route by sailing West. Columbus thought that if they sailed West, they would eventually circle the globe, and arrive in Eastern Asia. His New World voyages helped kick off Europe’ Age of Exploration

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For seven years, Christopher Columbus traveled around Europe looking for someone who would finance his journey. The monarchs of Europe made fun of him, saying that it was too risky, and dangerous to attempt such a voyage around the globe. Finally, Columbus arrived in Spain. For many years, Spain had been caught up in civil war. As a result, they were behind much of Europe in their development. King Ferdinand, and Queen Isabella were anxious to prove that Spain could be as powerful and successful as their neighbor Portugal. In August of 1492 they granted Christopher Columbus the supplies, men, and ships that he needed to carry out his expedition. Columbus was given three sailing ships. These ships were named the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Columbus’ men were terrified that they would be lost at sea, and that they would suffer starvation. As the days wore on, these men began to turn against him. Columbus was forced to agree to turn back, if they did not find land within three days. On the night of the second day, just before he would have had to turn around, land was sighted. Columbus and his men discovered an island in the Caribbean, which they named Hispanolia. This Island is the location of the present day nations of Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Columbus did not realize that he had arrived in a new part of the world. He was convinced that he was in India. For this reason, he called the natives who lived on these islands the Indians. Columbus returned to the Americas three more times. Each time believing that he was in India. During his life, he never realized what he had discovered.

Image of Christopher Columbus and King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella

Columbus’ Facts /columbus-day/facts.html

Hernando de Soto *He was the first European to find the Mississippi River.

Hernando De Soto (1500?-1542) was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Atlantic Ocean and was the first European to explore Florida and the southeastern US. De Soto was born in the Spanish province of Extremadura (near Portugal). In 1524, he went on an expedition to Nicaragua, South America, with Francisco de Cordoba. De Soto sided with Pedro Arias de Ávila (also called Pedrarias Dávila) against Cordoba (who had tried to claim land for himself), and Cordoba was killed. De Soto lived for a while in Nicaragua, prospering by engaging in the slave trade.FloridaFrancisco de Cordoba Francisco Pizarro enlisted de Soto for an expedition to Peru ( ). During this expedition they met and killed Atahualpa, the ruler of the Incas, and conquered the Inca empire. Francisco Pizarro De Soto returned to Spain in 1536, and was granted the rights to conquer Florida and was named governor of Cuba in Florida De Soto arrived on the west coast of Florida on May 30, 1539 with 10 ships carrying over 600 soldiers, priests, and explorers. They spent four years searching for gold and silver, exploring the area, and brutally contacting native societies, including the Cherokees, Seminoles, Creeks, Appalachians, and Choctaws. De Soto died during the explorations and was buried on the banks of the Mississippi River in late June, 1542.

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Jaques Cartier

Jaques Cartier He was the first European to sail the St. Lawrence River. He claimed huge parts of Canada for France.

Vasco da Gama

Vasco Da Gama Following in the foot steps of Bartholomeu Dias, another explorer left Portugal in 1497 hoping to sail around Africa, and reach India. This explorer was Vasco Da Gama. First to find the all-water route to India Returned from India with lots of spices, jewels, silk and other goods valued at 60 times the cost of the trip. He helped make Portugal the richest country in Europe.

Vasco da Gama

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Robert de La Salle

Robert de La Salle He located the mouth of the Mississippi River. He named a wide area around the river Louisiana and claimed it for France. 1682

Ferdinand Magellan

1519 Magellan’s expedition proved that the world was round and that it was possible to sail around it. cfm?guidAssetId=365DB097-B39A-456F- 9CA6- C46138DC763C&blnFromSearch=1&productc ode=US

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

Lewis and Clark under the instruction of President Thomas Jefferson explored the Louisiana Territory. They were to seek a water passage to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark opened a trail to the west. ney_intro.html

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Time Line A time line is a list of events in chronological order. Examples: timelines/14-american-history-timeline.htm nology.com/web_tools/materials/timelines/