European Explorers

Prince Henry

He sponsored Portuguese explorations that established Europe's first colonies and discovered places new to the Europeans.

James Cook

During his 3 voyages, he mapped in great detail lands from New Zealand to Hawaii, even searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. In 1779, he died in a fight with native Hawaiians.

Bartolomeu Dias

His expedition was the first to sail around the southern cape of Africa, Cape of Good Hope.

Robert de La Salle

He claimed the regions watered by the Mississippi River and its tributaries for France. He also named the land Louisiana after King Louis XIV.

Christopher Columbus

He made a total of 4 voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, "discovered" a New World, America, and named the natives there, Indians.

Vasco da Gama

He and his men traveled 24,000 miles to discover the first sea route from Europe to Asia.

John Cabot

His expedition was the first European expedition to set foot on North America since the Vikings and he claimed the land for England.

Henry Hudson

His expedition explored the Hudson River and Hudson Bay while looking for the Northwest Passage for England and the East Coast for the Netherlands.

Samuel de Champlain

He mapped the Atlantic coast and the Great Lakes and founded Quebec.

Francis Drake

He led the first English expedition to circumnavigate the world for Queen Elizabeth I.

Amerigo Vespucci

He explored South America and declared it was a new continent and a New World, not the outskirts of Asia.

Ponce de Leon

His expedition explored Puerto Rico. Years later, he led an expedition into Florida (which he named) looking for the mythical Fountain of Youth.

Vasco de Balboa

His expedition crossed the Isthmus of Panama reaching the South Sea (Pacific Ocean). He then claimed the Pacific Ocean and its shores for Spain.

Hernan Cortes

He and his men conquered the Aztecs and made Spain very wealthy.

Francisco Vasquez de Coronado

His expedition was one of the first to explore the American West. He made contact with the Pueblo Indians and discovered the Grand Canyon.

Jacques Cartier

In his 3 voyages, he claimed Canada for France and mapped the St. Lawrence River.

Francisco Pizarro

He and his men conquered the Incas and made Spain very wealthy.

Hernando de Soto

His expedition explored the Southeastern United States and discovered the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Ferdinand Magellan

He led the first expedition to circumnavigate the world. In 1521, he was killed in a battle in the Philippines and in 1522, his crew finished the journey around the world.

Giovanni da Verrazano

He explored the Atlantic Coast. In 1528, he was either killed and eaten by cannibals on a Caribbean island or executed by the Spanish for piracy.