Explorers
Who really discovered America? You decide!
Find out about 21 explorers You will learn what country they came from and why they are important.
Have fun with exploration activities Make an astrolabe, find out about the parts of a ship and more.
CARTIER, JACQUES
Jacques
Cartier (1491-1557) was a French explorer who led three expeditions to Canada,
in 1534, 1535, and 1541. He was looking for a route to the Pacific through North
America (a Northwest Passage) but did not find one. Cartier paved the way for
French exploration of North America.
Cartier sailed inland, going 1,000 miles up the St. Lawrence River. He also tried to start a settlement in Quebec (in 1541), but it was abandoned after a terribly cold winter. Cartier named Canada; "Kanata" means village or settlement in the Huron-Iroquois language. Cartier was given directions by Huron-Iroquois Indians for the route to "kanata," a village near what is now Quebec, but Cartier later named the entire region Canada.
DE CHAMPLAIN, SAMUEL
Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) was a French explorer and navigator who founded
the city of Quebec as a center of the fur trade. He left France in 1608 as the
leader of 32 colonists; 9 colonists survived the first bitter winter, but more
settler arrived the following summer. Champlain also explored the Ottawa River,
the Ottawa River, and the eastern Great Lakes, and northern New York. Champlain
also discovered the lake later named for him (1609) and was important in
establishing and administering the French colonies in the New World. He died of
a stroke in 1635.
PONCE DE LEON
Juan
Ponce de Leon (1460?-1521) was a Spanish explorer and soldier who was the first
European to set foot in Florida.
He also established the oldest European settlement in Puerto Rico and discovered
the Gulf Stream (a current in the Atlantic Ocean). Ponce de Leon was searching
for the legendary fountain of youth and other riches.
For more information on Ponce de Leon, click here.
JOHN CABOT
John
Cabot (1450-1499) was an Italian-born English explorer and navigator. In Italy,
he is known as Giovanni Caboto (which is his original name).
Cabot was born in Italy but moved to England in 1495. At the request of King Henry VII of England, Cabot sailed to Canada in 1497, commanding the small ship called "Matthew." Cabot landed near Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island (the exact spot is uncertain) on June 24, 1497. Cabot claimed the land for England.
Cabot explored the Canadian coastline and named many of its islands and capes. The mission's purpose was to search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia (a seaway to Asia). Cabot was unsuccessful, although he thought that he had reached northeastern Asia.
Cabot undertook a second, larger expedition in 1498. On this trip, Cabot may have reached America, but that is uncertain. Cabot's expeditions were the first of Britain's claims to Canada.
Christopher
Columbus (1451-1506) was an Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic
Ocean in 1492, hoping to find a route to India (in order to trade for spices).
He made a total of four trips to the Caribbean and South America during the
years 1492-1504, sailing for King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain. On
his first trip, Columbus led an expedition with three ships, the Niña, the
Pinta, and the Santa Maria.
For more information on Columbus, click here.
COOK, JAMES
James
Cook (October 27, 1728- February 14, 1779) was a British explorer and astronomer
who went on many expeditions to the Pacific Ocean, Antarctic, Arctic, and around
the world.
For more information on James Cook, click here.
Francisco
Vásquez de Coronado (1510-1554) was a Spanish ruler, explorer and conquistador.
He was the first European to explore North America's Southwest.
For more information on Coronado, click here.
Hernán
Cortés (also spelled Cortez), Marqués Del Valle De Oaxaca (1485-1547) was a
Spanish adventurer and conquistador (he was also a failed law student) who
overthrew the Aztec empire and claimed Mexico for Spain (1519-21).
Cortes sailed with 11 ships from Cuba to the Yucatan Peninsula to look for gold, silver, and other treasures. Hearing rumors of great riches, Cortés traveled inland and "discovered" Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire. He then brutally killed the Aztec emperor Montezuma and conquered his Aztec Empire of Mexico, claiming all of Mexico for Spain in 1521. Treasures from the Aztecs were brought to Spain, and Cortés was a hero in his homeland. Cortés was appointed governor of the colony of New Spain, but eventually fell out of favor with the royals. He then returned to Spain where he died a few years later.
Hernando
De Soto (1500?-1542) was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Atlantic Ocean and
was the first European to explore Florida
and the southeastern US.
For more information on De Soto, click here.
Amerigo
Vespucci (1454-1512) was an Italian explorer who was the first person to realize
that the Americas were separate from the continent of Asia. America was named
for him in 1507, when the German mapmaker Martin Waldseemüller, printed the
first map that used the name America for the New World.
On his first expedition (sailing for Spain, 1499-1500), Vespucci was the navigator under under the command of Alonso de Ojeda. On this trip, Ojeda and Vespucci discovered the mouth of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America, thinking it was part of Asia. On his second expedition (sailing for Portugal, 1501-02) he mapped some of the eastern coast of South America, and came to realize that it not part of Asia, but a New World.
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Henry
Hudson (1565-1611) was an English explorer and navigator who explored
parts of the Arctic Ocean and northeastern North America. The Hudson
River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson Bay are named for Hudson.