European Explorers Date Explorer Country Purpose Sailed Achievements

European Explorers

Date Explorer Country Purpose Sailed Achievements 1000 Leif Ericson Norway Expand empire First European to reach N American mainland 1492 Christopher Columbus Spain Westward water route to Asia Made four voyages to West Indies and Caribbean Islands – unknown land. 1497 Amerigo Vespucci Italy Exploration Sailed to West Indies and coast of S. America 1497 John Cabot England Westward water route to Asia Explored the shores of Newfoundland Nova Scotia 1513 Vasco de Balboa Spain Exploration and adventure Discovered the Pacific Ocean 1513 Ponce de Leon Spain Searched Discovered and named the for Fountain state of Florida of Youth 1520 Ferdinand Magellan Spain Westward water route to Asia First to circle the globe

1519 Hernando Cortes Spain Gain riches and power Conquered Aztecs in Mexico and rename the capital Mexico City 1523 Francisco Pizarro Spain Gain riches and power Conquered the Incas in Peru 1534 Jacques Cartier France Northwest passage to China Traveled the St. Lawrence and discovered Montreal 1539 Hernando De Soto Spain Gain riches Traveled the American and explore Southeast and discovered Florida the MS River. 1540 Francisco de Coronado Spain Searched Explored the American of the Southwest (from Mexico Seven to Kansas) Cities of Gold/Cibola 1577 Sir Frances Drake England Circum the globe and control the Pacific Ocean First English to sail the world and defeated the Spanish Armada-claimed California for England.

1603 Samuel de Champlain France Explore and find Explored the St. westward route Lawrence and setup a to Asia fur-trading post at Quebec- the first permanent French settlement in North America. 1609 Henry Hudson Holland Northwest Explored the Hudson Passage to China River 1672 Father Marquette and Louis Joliet France Exploration Explored the MS River 1682 Robert Renee La. Salle France Exploration and trade First to travel the entire length of the MS River