European Explorers -- APUSH

yea get w it

Martin Luther

* Not an explorer
* Wrote 95 theses, started Protestant Reformation

Amerigo Vespucci

* Namesake for the Americas

Magellan

* First European to circumnavigate the globe

Cortez

* Conquered Mexico

Christopher Columbus

* Italian explorer who “discovered” the Americas in 1492

Bartolome de Las Casas

* Spanish Priest who criticized enslaving Native Americans
* Endorsed other methods of slavery, however

Juan Cabrillo

* Claimed the West Coast of North America for the Spanish

Vasquez de Voronado

* Searched for the 7 Cities of Gold in what is (today) Southwestern US

Hernando de Soto

* Explored what became Southeastern US
* Spanish
* Crossed the Mississippi

Vasco de Balboa

* First to cross Isthmus of Panama and see the Pacific Ocean
* Atlantic and Pacific connection

Francisco Pizarro

* Conquered the Incas on the West Coast of South America
* Wanted to bring feudalism to the New World

Marco Polo

* Gave Columbus (and Europeans in general) inspiration to travel to the Americas
* Brought back many riches from the East

Bartholomeau Dias

* Portuguese explorer
* New route to India

Vasco de Gama

* Portuguese explorer
* Discovered a safer route to China

Ponce de Leon

* Failed at starting first European colony on Floridian coast

Francisco de Coronado

* Explored Southwestern America