Great Explorers

European whose descriptions of the riches of China made traders want to go to Asia.

Marco Polo

Leader of First Europeans to visit the Americas

Leif Eriksson

Portuguese explorer who found a sea route to Asia by sailing around Africa

Vasco da Gama

Portuguese explorer who was the first European to sail around the southern tip of Africa.

Bartholomeu Dias

Italian explorer who figured out that Columbus had not reached Asia.

Amerigo Vespucci

European who proved it was possible to reach Asia by sailing west from Europe

Ferdinand Magellan

Leader of the Spanish conquistadors who conquered the Aztecs

Hernando Cortes

Spanish conquistador who ordered his soldiers to kill the Inca Emperor

Francisco Pizzaro

Spanish explorer who looked for the Fountain of Youth and named for present-day Florida.

Juan Ponce de Leon

Explorer who claimed for Spain all of what is today the southeastern United States.

Hernando de Soto

Explorer who founded Quebec and Montreal.

Samuel de Champlain