1. Explorers Chart
Unit 3

2. Juan Ponce De Leon Explored For – Spain Explored – N. America
Why – Searching for the Fountain of Youth
Date – 1513
What – Present Day Florida
Description – Set sail from Puerto Rico and sailed around Florida became the 1st Spanish to set foot in the United States.

3. Hernando Cortez From – Spain
Explored – The Aztec Empire in what is now Mexico
Why – Sent by the Spanish government to look for gold.
When – 1519 – 1538
Accomplished conquering the Aztec Empire
Description – Sailed from Spain to Mexico.

4. Franciso Pizarro Country – Spain
Explored the West Coast of S. America near the Andes Mts.
Why – Searching for an empire that was richer and more powerful than the Aztecs.
When – 1531 – 1535
Accomplished conquering the Inca Empire.
Description – Sailed from Panama and landed in S. America on the west coast.

5. Ferdinand Magellan Portuguese
Explored around Brazil & S. America. Passed through the Straight of Magellan, across the pacific Ocean, Philippines, and back to Spain.
Why – Wanted to reach Asia west around the Americas
When – 1519 – 1522
Accomplished – One of his ships was the 1st to sail around the world. He died on his voyage.
Description – From Spain westward to Asia

6. Samuel de Champlain French Explored the forest of eastern Canada
Why – Sent to map the places where beavers were found.
When – 1603
Discovered the 1st settlement in Quebec
Description – Sailed from France to Canada

7. Hernando De Soto
Spain
Explored the Southeastern part of the United States
Why – Searching for gold
When – 1539 – 1542
He became the first European to see the Mississippi River.
Route – Left Spain and traveled to Florida then Georgia then South Carolina then North Carolina the Tennessee and ended in Alabama.

8. Jacques Cartier France Explored the Gulf of St, Lawrence
Why – Searching for a water route to Asia, the Northwest Passage.
When – 1534
He achieved sailing up the St. Lawrence River and began a fur trade with Huron.
Sailed from Spain to the Northern part of North America.

9. Francisco Coronado Spain Explored Southwestern North America.
Why – was searching for Seven Cities of Gold.
When – 1540 – 1542
He led an expedition from Mexico City to Southwestern United States.
From Mexico to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

10. Christopher Columbus Italian born Spanish explorer
Explored the Island of Guanahani
Why – Searching for a way to reach Asia by sailing West instead of going around Africa.
When – 1492
He discovered a new land which is now known as the Americas.
He walked thousands of miles through mountains and deserts to go from Italy to China.

11. Marco Polo Italy Explored Asia
Why – Went with his father and uncle who were traders and had heard stories of the riches of the land.
When – 1271
He wrote a book about his travel to Asia that helped Europeans.

12. Amerigo Vespucci Italy Explored present day America.
Why – He wanted to prove that Christopher Columbus did not reach Asia.
When –
He determined that the land was a new continent. America was named after him.
Sailed down the coast of South America.

13. Vasco de Gama
Portugal
Explored around the southern tip of South Africa.
Why – He was looking for a sea route to Asia.
When – Between
Found a sea route to Asia . Was able to reach India and bring a ship full of spices back to Portugal.
Left Europe and went around the southern tip of Africa then to Asia. Sailed around the Cape of Good hope to India.

14. Balboa Spain Explored the west coast near the Isthmus of Panama.
Why – Looking for a route to Asia
When – 1513
1st European to see the Pacific ocean, reach the western coast of Americas, & proved the Americas were separate from Asia.
Left Spain and went through the Isthmus of panama which connects North and South America.