The Explorers Of North America

Age of Exploration’s Explorers Leif Ericsson Christopher Columbus Vasco Balboa Amerigo Vespucci Henry Hudson John Cabot Hernando Cortez Francisco Pizarro Jacques Marquette Samuel De Champlain Jacques Cartier Sieur De La Salle Ponce De Leon Ferdinand Magellan Hernando De Soto Francisco Coronado

Leif Ericsson Leif Ericsson (also spelled Eriksson) the Lucky (980?-1020?) Viking (Norse) explorer who was possibly the first European to sail to North America. Newfoundland

Christopher Columbus -On August 3, 1492, Columbus sailed from Spain with 3 small ships (Santa Maria, Nina, and Pinta). -On October 12, he landed on a small island in the Caribbean sea, which he named San Salvador. -Columbus wrongly thought he had reached Asia and named the Islands the West Indies…OOPS!

Vasco De Balboa Crossed the isthmus of Panama in Was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean. Isthmus: Narrow strip of land that connects two larger land areas.

Amerigo Vespucci Amerigo Vespucci ( ) was an Italian explorer Explored the northeast coast of North America from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Maine while searching for a Northwest passage to Asia America was named for him in 1507

Henry Hudson Henry Hudson ( ) was an English explorer Explored parts of the Arctic Ocean and northeastern North America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are named for Hudson. Mutiny 1611 June 22: Henry Hudson was cast adrift in a small boat together with his son John and eight loyal crew members

John Cabot John Cabot ( ) was an Italian-born English explorer and navigator Cabot explored the Canadian coastline and named many of its islands and capes. Searching for a Northwest passage

Hernando Cortez Hernán Cortés (also spelled Cortez), Marqués Del Valle De Oaxaca ( ) was a Spanish adventurer and conquistador Cortes sailed with 11 ships from Cuba to the Yucatan Peninsula to look for gold, silver, and other treasures. He conquered the Aztec Empire of Mexico, claiming all of Mexico for Spain in 1521.

Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro ( ) was a Spanish conquistador Explored the Pacific coast of America along Peru He "discovered" the Incan empire and conquered it brutally and quickly, stealing immense hoards of gold, silver, and other treasures.

Jacques Marquette Father Jacques Marquette ( ) was a French Jesuit priest and explorer. He started a Chippewa mission at Chequamegon Bay (at the western end of Lake Superior)

Samuel De Champlain Samuel de Champlain (1567?-1635) was a French explorer and navigator Mapped much of northeastern North America and started a settlement in Quebec.

Sieur De La Salle René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle ( ) was a French explorer. He was sent by King Louis XIV (14) to travel south from Canada and sail down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.

Ponce de Leon Explored present day Florida in 1513, and claimed the land for Spain. He was looking for the Fountain of Youth. de Leon died in 1521, never achieving his goal, but gave Spain a great claim on new lands in the Americas.

Ferdinand Magellan Portuguese Explorer who headed an expedition around the world for SPAIN. 250 Sailors and 5 Ships leave Spain in First to sail in the “Peaceful” or Pacific Ocean. Magellan dies in the Philippines in Only 18 Sailors and one ship, the Victoria return to Spain from this long and dangerous voyage.

Hernando De Soto 16 th Century Explorer ( ). Looked for gold in North America, but didn’t find any. Treated the Native Americans brutally. Battle of Tuscaloosa. First European to reach Mississippi River in 1541.

De Coronado Born in Spain in 1510, He was first explorer navigate Southwest North America. There he found the Grand Canyon. Coronado was searching for the “Seven Cities of Gold”

Minnesota Explorers Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Luth Father Hennepin (Came up Mississippi) Pierre Raidison (1st European to see MN) Nicollet (Canada & Possibly Mississippi) Zebulon Pike (Pikes Island)