Explorers of the Past
A list of 20 or so of the most famous European explorers of history and short description of which country they explored for and their accomplishments during their time.
- Dias- Portuguese explorer, managed to sail to southern tip of Africa
- Cabral- Portuguese explorer, reached Brazil, claimed land for his country
- Dupleix- Frenchman, made voyages to Americas and India, became governor general of French establishment in India
- Vespucci- Italian in service of Portugal, sailed along coast of South America, said not Asia, but “new” world; Americas named after him (Amerigo Vespucci)
- Pizarro- Spanish conquistador, conquered Incan empire in Peru, established Peru’s capital: Lima
- La Salle- French explorer, explored lower Mississippi, founded Louisiana
- Columbus- Italian sea captain, landed on island in Caribbean, discovered America
- Hudson- Englishman in service to Netherlands, explored 3 waterways named after him: Hudson River, Hudson Bay, and Hudson Strait
- Coronado- Spanish explorer, expedition throughout western United States (including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas)
- Ponce de Leon- Spanish explorer, in search of fountain of youth, found Florida
- De Soto- Spanish conquistador, first European to discover Mississippi River, explored much of southeast United States (including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, etc.)
- Champlain- French explorer, founded Quebec, base of France’s colonial empire in North America
- Cortés- Spaniard, landed in Mexico, explored Americas, conquered Aztecs
- Da Gama- Portuguese explorer, reached port of Calicut on coast of India
- Drake- English explorer, first Englishman to sail around the world (ship was Golden Hind), helped defeat Spanish Armada
- Prince Henry- helped conquer Muslim city of Ceuta, greatly supported exploration
- Balboa- Spanish explorer, landed in Panama, first European to see Pacific Ocean
- Cartier- French explorer, founded St. Lawrence River and Montreal in Canada
- John Cabot- English explorer, landed in northern United States/Canada, first European to search for Northwest Passage
- Magellan- Portuguese explorer, funded by Spain, led first crew to circumnavigate the world; around southern tip of South America, through Pacific Ocean, Guam, Philippines where Magellan died, around southern tip of Africa, to Spain 3 years later
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