Henry the Navigator From Portugal

Started a school for navigators and explorers

Organized trips to sail around the continent of Africa

Bartholomeu Dias Portuguese Explorer First to round the

southern tip of Africa in 1488.

Named it Cape of Storms, later renamed Cape of Good Hope.

Didn’t travel to Asia, returned home.

Vasco da gama From Portugal

First to establish a sea route to Asia

Lost half his ships and most of his crew

Christopher Columbus Italian Sailed across the

Atlantic in 1492 Discovered

Caribbean Islands (West Indies)

Came home to a hero’s welcome

Vasco Balboa Spanish Explorer Sliced his way

through the Panama jungle, to become first European to see Pacific Ocean

Called it the South Sea

Ferdinand Magellan Portuguese Explorer Set out to

circumnavigate the world

He was killed in the Philippines by natives

His crew returned to Portugal after his death

Hernando Cortez Spanish Explorer

Defeated the Aztec Empire, claiming modern day Mexico for Spain

Established Mexico City

Francisco Pizzaro Spanish Explorer

Defeated the Incan Empire in South America

Established the city of Lima, Peru

Jacques Cartier French Explorer

Explored the eastern coastline of Canada, claiming it for France

Discovered the St. Lawrence River

Juan Ponce de Leon Spanish Explorer Named governor of

several Spanish colonies

While searching for the Fountain of Youth, he discovered Florida and claimed it for Spain

Francisco Coronado Spanish Explorer Searched for seven cities

of gold north of Mexico Became first European to

explore the desert southwest

National Monument in Arizona