Explorers of North America

Discovering the New World

The Compass

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Toward the end of the 8th century CE, Viking seafarers from what we now call Norway (A), Denmark (B), and Sweden (C) embarked on a series of daring voyages for trade,

colonization, and sometimes even plunder. Over the next 250 years, they planted settlements in Europe from the British Isles (D) and France (E) to Italy (F) and Russia

(G). Vikings from Norway, in particular, became the first Europeans, ever, to establish a passage across the Atlantic to North America. They did it in stages,

setting up bases, as they went, in the Shetland Islands (H), Faroe Islands (I), Iceland (J), Greenland (K), and — for just a few years — in the place they called Vinland (L).

“Vinland Map” parchment dates to approximately 1434 A.D., or nearly 60 years before Christopher Columbus set foot in the West Indies. “Many scholars have agreed that if the Vinland Map is authentic, it is the first

known cartographic representation of North America, and its date would be key in establishing the history of European knowledge of the lands

bordering the western Atlantic Ocean,” said chemist Garman Harbottle, the lead Brookhaven researcher on the project.

The Vikings

Check out this website...http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/vikings/

Answer the following questions in complete sentences:

Columbus sails to the New World

Christopher Columbus

First printed map of the New World

This is an original map, created in 1565, shows the known world of the day. This old map gives an incredible view of

the New World, recently discovered by Christopher Columbus.

The Northwest Passage

http://www.athropolis.com/map9.htmhttp://www.beyondthemap.ca/english/northwest.htmlhttp://encyclopedia.kids.net.au/page/no/Northwest_Passage

The Northwest Passage is a route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

through the Arctic archipelago of Canada. Between the end of the 15th century and the 20th century, Europeans attempted to establish a commercial sea route north and

west around the American continents, calling this route the Northwest Passage. This goal helped motivate much of the European exploration of the Canadian

Arctic, including the discovery of Hudson's Bay.

Canadian Explorer ReportYou will research and write about a Canadian explorer. Following are the expectations. You must write at least one paragraph per question:

-Background about the explorer- Reasons for voyage-Location of exploration, dates of exploration-Interactions with Native Americans-Hardships Faced-Accomplishments/Discoveries-Conclusion

-Printed map of route-Full page portrait of explorer – hand drawn and colored-Printed picture of explorer