1. Christopher Columbus
sailor
Wanted to find a route to Asia by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean
Wanted to find riches for Spain
Sailed from 1492 – 1506
Left Spain & sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean to San Salvador in the Caribbean Sea
Was the first European to set foot on the American Continent
OTHER INFORMATION – He took 4 voyages – exploring Cuba & the coasts of South & Central America.

3. Amerigo Vespucci Nobleman & merchant
Sent to retrace Columbus’ voyage & to see exactly what lands he’d explored.
Took notes on navigation & astronomy
Sailed from
Sailed west across the Atlantic & north up the Atlantic coast. On the 2nd voyage sailed south along the same coastline
OTHER INFORMATION – He eventually realized that the land Columbus had found was too far north to be the Indies – America was named after him.

5. Juan Ponce de Leon soldier
Wanted the glory of finding the “fountain of youth” in Florida
Sailed from
Sailed from Hispaniola to Puerto Rico to Florida
Killed many Native Americans & led soldiers to conquer Puerto Rico
OTHER INFORMATION – He traveled on Columbus’ 2nd voyage. He settled in Hispanola and later returned to Florida (in 1521) to start a settlement.

7. Henry Hudson
English sea captain
Wanted to claim land for the Netherlands & to sail to China across the top of Europe (near the Arctic Circle)
Wanted to find the Northwest Passage
Sailed from
Sailed north towards the Arctic Circle then west across the Atlantic Ocean to Maine then Hudson Bay
Claimed eastern Canada for England
OTHER INFORMATION – He drew the first map of Hudson Bay. Hudson Bay & the Hudson River were named after him.

9. Robert Sieur de la Salle
French nobleman & fur trader along the St. Lawrence River
Wanted personal wealth & to establish trading posts, forts, & settlements for the French Empire
Sailed from
Explored the Ohio River and traveled the Mississippi River
Learned Native American languages
OTHER INFORMATION – He named Louisiana for the French King.

11. Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Explorer then farmer
Wanted personal wealth & was avoiding having to repay his debts (stowed away on board ship)
Searched for the Inca
Explored in 1500
Hispaniola (west Indies) to western coast of Panama
Was friendly towards the Native Americans & married a chief’s daughter
OTHER INFORMATION – He found the Pacific Ocean and named it the South Sea.

13. Ferdinand Magellan
Portuguese sea captain (son of a nobleman) & soldier
Wanted to circumnavigate the globe (sail around the world by traveling west across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans)
Sailed from
Left Spain & sailed to South America through the Strait of Magellan to the Phillipines and then on to the East Indies and Spain
Killed by Native Americans in the Phillipines
OTHER INFORMATION – Discovered the Strait of Magellan at the southern tip of South America. On the expedition, men had to eat leather, sawdust, and rats to survive.