EXPLORER’S AND THEIR EXPLORATIONS

The Exploration of the Americas and the World

WHY EXPLORE?

Many different European countries paid for explorations for many different reasons. Some of the reasons that they explored were: To find a sea route to the spices of Asia To

find gold, silver, and precious stones To expand their knowledge of the world To control a larger empire To expand Christianity To find animal furs

PORTUGAL

Portugal wanted to get everything they could get their hands on, except maybe furs. They left those to the French. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore the unknown world, and they were the first to sail around the southern tip of Africa.

PORTUGAL

Portugal was the first country to find a route to the Indies around the southern tip of Africa

They only explored what is now Brazil in the New World. 

They played an important role in the exploration of the New World in a different way. 

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

Born: 1394 Died: 1460 Goal: Find a quicker route to the

Indies Sponsored explorations of the

Atlantic and down the African Coast Developed a new and lighter ship to

make the longer voyages—called a Caravel

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

He had a great deal of difficulty persuading his captains to sail beyond Cape Bojodor off the west coast of Africa.

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

According to legend, beyond this point in an area known as the "Green Sea of Darkness," the sun was so close to the Earth that a person’s skin would burn black, the sea boiled, ships caught on fire, and monsters hid waiting to smash the ships and eat the sailors.

PRINCE HENRY THE NAVIGATOR

It took fourteen voyages over a period of 12 years until a ship finally reached the equator.

Although he never sailed on the expeditions, the voyages that he paid for in the mid-1400s helped launch Portugal into the front of the race to find a sea route to the Indies.

SPAIN

Spain wanted a lot of things. It wanted to expand its knowledge of the world that they had never seen. They wanted to have a larger empire find spices and other riches expand Christianity The big thing they wanted was gold and

silver to pay for their wars with the Turkish Empire.

CORONADO

Born: 1510 Died: 1554 He discovered the southwestern part of the

United States, including the Grand Canyon Primarily searched for the Seven Cities of

Gold He returned empty handed, but was made

governor of New Spain

PIZARRO

Born: 1475 Died: 1541 He conquered the Inca Empire Left in 1503 for Hispaniola, the main

Spanish port in the New World Also explored with Balboa in 1513—

crossed Panama to discover the Pacific Ocean

BALBOA

Born: 1475 Died: 1519 He was the first European to see the Pacific

Ocean from its eastern shore Stowed away with his dog to the Americas Led by Native Americans, he fought their

enemies along the way Climbed the mountains with his men, and saw

the Pacific and claimed it for Spain

CORTEZ

Born: 1485 Died: 1547 He was a Spanish Conquistador

who defeated and conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521

Cortez fought not only the Aztecs, but also his own countrymen

MAGELLAN

Born: 1480 Died: 1521 He was the first explorer to lead an

expedition around the world. Out of the five ships that began the

voyage, only one made it back to Spain and only 18 of the 250 men survived ~Magellan was not one of them

COLUMBUS

Born: 1451 Died: 1506 He was the first European since the

Vikings to "discover" the New World. Born in Italy, but sailed for Ferdinand

and Isabella of Spain Thought he found the West Indies, but

really discovered Cuba, and surrounding islands

COLUMBUS

HERNANDO DE SOTO

Born: 1500 Died: 1541 He led the first expedition

across the southeastern United States.

Searched for the Seven Cities Aided Pizarro in conquest of Inca Appointed Governor of Cuba in 1533 Sailed to Florida and went as far as the Ozark

Mountains before dying on the return journey

AMERIGO VESPUCCI

Born: 1454 Died: 1512 North America and South America were named

after him. Reached S.A. in 1499 Explored the Caribbean Sea Sailed again for Portugal in 1501 going as far

south as Argentina Estimated the circumference of the Earth to

within 50 miles of its actual size

PONCE DE LEON

Born: 1460 Died: 1521 He was the first European to explore Florida,

searching for the Fountain of Youth. Left in search of Bimini and the fountain of youth

in 1513, but he landed near St. Augustine, FL On his second voyage they landed on the west

coast of Florida and Ponce de Leon was shot by an arrow from the Native Americans who were waiting for them—he died in Cuba from his wounds

ENGLAND

England wanted the same things Spain wanted, especially gold and silver, but the Spanish had a much more powerful navy than England had.

So when England tried to explore the New World, they ran into a lot of trouble if the Spanish navy caught them.

Since they couldn't really explore the New World, the English ships would attack the Spanish ships as they sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and steal their goods.

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE

Born: 1540 Died: 1596 He helped defeat the Spanish Armada, and

he was the first Englishman to sail around the world.

Plundered Panama and Veracruz in 1570’s 1577 took 5 ships and sailed to the Pacific

following the coastline and continued on 1580 he made it back to Plymouth Harbor In 1588 he helped defeat the Spanish

Armada

JOHN CABOT

Born: 1450 Died: 1499? He was the first European since the

Vikings to explore the mainland of North America and the first to search for the Northwest Passage.

FRANCE

France wanted a larger empire, spices and riches, and to expand Christianity.

They also wanted animal furs. They enjoyed wearing hats and coats made out of animal skins.

LA SALLE

Born: 1643 Died: 1687 He was the first European to sail down

the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.

1669-73 sailed the rivers of N.A.

CARTIER

Born: 1491 Died: 1557 He discovered the St. Lawrence River. 3 expeditions, but

no passage throughthe north

MARQUETTE

Born: 1637 Died: 1675 He was on the expedition that led to

the discovery of the Mississippi River. Led exploration with the help of Louis

Jolliet Set up a trading post and Monastery

on Lake Michigan