Explorers
The Age of Exploration
4th Grade
Motivations
The motivations of most
explorers were “God,
gold and glory” for
themselves and for their
countries.
Leif Eriksson
• Leif Eriksson was a Viking
from Greenland who sailed the
northern Atlantic Ocean and
settled briefly in North
America, which he called
Vinland.
Leif Eriksson
• However, the Vikings’
relationship with other
Europeans did not
allow them to share
their discovery so
North America
remained unknown to
most Europeans.
Leif Eriksson
Christopher Columbus
• Christopher Columbus sailed for Spain
looking for a new and faster route to the
Far East.
Christopher Columbus
• Columbus sailed west because the
Portuguese controlled the eastern route
around Africa. Columbus also believed the
world was small enough that he could
reach the Far East by sailing west.
[Columbus was not the first person to believe the
world was round. Most educated people of the time
held this belief. This is a common misconception.]
Christopher Columbus
• Columbus did not reach his goal to bring
back the many riches from the Far East.
Instead he discovered the lands and
wealth of North and South America.
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Check out this website to see an
interactive map of Columbus’ voyage.
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/explorers/age_finding
John Cabot
• John Cabot sailed for England. Cabot
was looking for a quicker route to the Far
East known as the Northwest Passage.
Cabot sailed near the Arctic Circle, but he
had no success.
John Cabot
• He claimed the lands he encountered for
England.
John Cabot
Ferdinand Magellan
• Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition was the
first to sail around the world.
Ferdinand Magellan
• Although Magellan died before the journey
was complete, he claimed more lands for
Spain. His crew proved that sailing around
the world could be achieved but only at
great cost.
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan
Check out this website to see an
interactive map of Magellan’s voyage.
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/explorers/age_magellan
Hernando de Soto
• Hernando de Soto was a Spanish
conquistador who explored throughout the
southeastern United States and claimed
this land for Spain.
Hernando de Soto
Henry Hudson
• Henry Hudson was an
explorer who sailed for
both the Netherlands
and England. In
searching for the
Northwest Passage, he
claimed and mapped
what is now New York
for the Dutch and lands
in Canada for the
English.
Henry Hudson
• The Hudson River and Hudson Bay are
named for him.
Henry Hudson
Robert LaSalle
• Robert LaSalle explored for France.
LaSalle explored the Mississippi River to
its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico and named
the area Louisiana, claiming it for France.
Robert LaSalle
Robert LaSalle and Henry
Hudson
Check out this website to see
information about the path of Hudson
and LaSalle’s voyage.
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/explorers/age_finding_french
Maps
Let’s take a look at
the paths explorers
traveled…
Overview…
• The Spanish conquistadors defeated the Aztecs in Central America
and the Incas in South America. Spanish explorers claimed Florida
and the southwest region of what is today the United States and
called all of this land New Spain.
• The French explored the St. Lawrence River, the headwaters and
the length of the Mississippi River to what is now New Orleans
(LaSalle) and claimed this land as New France.
• The Dutch claimed the area around the Hudson River and
established New Netherlands and New Amsterdam in what is today
New York..
• The English claimed the coast of North America based on the
explorations of Cabot and called this land Virginia and New
England.
What’s it all mean?
In summary, European nations
claimed lands based on the
explorations of the explorers that
they sponsored. Settlements were
started in order to establish
claims to the land and make a
profit from the venture.