1. Class Notes

2. ExplorerNation/DateLands claimed/contributions Leif EricsonNorway/1000 First European to reach North America Marco PoloItaly/1271-1295 Traveled to the Far East (China); his book inspired people to travel. Prince HenryPortugal/ 1394-1460 Created a school for navigation. Bartholomeu DiasPortugal/1487-1488 First European to round the Cape of Good Hope; trying to find an all-water route to Asia. Christopher ColumbusSpain/1492-1504 First European to settle North America. Made four journeys to the Caribbean Islands. Amerigo VespucciItaly/1497-1503 Sailed to the west Indies and S. America; descriptions made people realize it was a new world; continents named after him.

3. ExplorerNation/DateLands claimed/contributions John CabotEngland/1497/1498Explored the coasts of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Labrador searching for a Northwest passage. Vasco da GamaPortugal/1498First to travel around Africa to reach India. Vasco de BalboaSpain/1513Led expedition across Panama and found the Pacific Ocean. Juan Ponce de LeonSpain/1513Explored Florida looking for the Fountain of Youth. Ferdinand MagellanPortugal/1520-1521Commanded the first voyage to sail around the world. Hernando CortesSpain/1519-1521Conquered the Aztec empire in Mexico.

4. ExplorerNation/DateLands claimed/contributions Giovanni de VerrazanoItaly/1523Searched for a Northwest passage Jacques CartierFrance/1534-1542Explored the St. Lawrence River; claimed lands for France Hernando de SotoSpain/1539-1541Explored the American Southeast; discovered Mississippi River. Sir Francis DrakeEngland/1577-1580Sea captain that helped to defeat the Spanish Armada. Samuel de ChamplainFrance/1603-1616Explored east coast of North America; claimed lands for France Henry HudsonEngland/1609-1611Discovered and claimed northern part of N. America Robert La SalleFrance/1682Claimed Mississippi River for France