Explorers Chart
Unit 3
Juan Ponce De Leon
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Explored For – Spain
Explored – N. America
Why – Searching for the Fountain of Youth
Date – 1513
What – Present Day Florida
Description – Set sail from Puerto Rico and
sailed around Florida became the 1st Spanish
to set foot in the United States.
Hernando Cortez
• From – Spain
• Explored – The Aztec Empire in what is now
Mexico
• Why – Sent by the Spanish government to
look for gold.
• When – 1519 – 1538
• Accomplished conquering the Aztec Empire
• Description – Sailed from Spain to Mexico.
Franciso Pizarro
• Country – Spain
• Explored the West Coast of S. America near the
Andes Mts.
• Why – Searching for an empire that was richer
and more powerful than the Aztecs.
• When – 1531 – 1535
• Accomplished conquering the Inca Empire.
• Description – Sailed from Panama and landed in
S. America on the west coast.
Ferdinand Magellan
• Portuguese
• Explored around Brazil & S. America. Passed
through the Straight of Magellan, across the
pacific Ocean, Philippines, and back to Spain.
• Why – Wanted to reach Asia west around the
Americas
• When – 1519 – 1522
• Accomplished – One of his ships was the 1st to
sail around the world. He died on his voyage.
• Description – From Spain westward to Asia
Samuel de Champlain
• French
• Explored the forest of eastern Canada
• Why – Sent to map the places where beavers
were found.
• When – 1603
• Discovered the 1st settlement in Quebec
• Description – Sailed from France to Canada
Hernando De Soto
• Spain
• Explored the Southeastern part of the United
States
• Why – Searching for gold
• When – 1539 – 1542
• He became the first European to see the
Mississippi River.
• Route – Left Spain and traveled to Florida then
Georgia then South Carolina then North Carolina
the Tennessee and ended in Alabama.
Jacques Cartier
• France
• Explored the Gulf of St, Lawrence
• Why – Searching for a water route to Asia, the
Northwest Passage.
• When – 1534
• He achieved sailing up the St. Lawrence River and
began a fur trade with Huron.
• Sailed from Spain to the Northern part of North
America.
Francisco Coronado
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Spain
Explored Southwestern North America.
Why – was searching for Seven Cities of Gold.
When – 1540 – 1542
He led an expedition from Mexico City to
Southwestern United States.
• From Mexico to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas,
Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Christopher Columbus
• Italian born Spanish explorer
• Explored the Island of Guanahani
• Why – Searching for a way to reach Asia by sailing
West instead of going around Africa.
• When – 1492
• He discovered a new land which is now known as
the Americas.
• He walked thousands of miles through mountains
and deserts to go from Italy to China.
Marco Polo
• Italy
• Explored Asia
• Why – Went with his father and uncle who
were traders and had heard stories of the
riches of the land.
• When – 1271
• He wrote a book about his travel to Asia that
helped Europeans.
Amerigo Vespucci
• Italy
• Explored present day America.
• Why – He wanted to prove that Christopher
Columbus did not reach Asia.
• When – 1499-1501
• He determined that the land was a new
continent. America was named after him.
• Sailed down the coast of South America.
Vasco de Gama
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Portugal
Explored around the southern tip of South Africa.
Why – He was looking for a sea route to Asia.
When – Between 1497-1499
Found a sea route to Asia . Was able to reach
India and bring a ship full of spices back to
Portugal.
• Left Europe and went around the southern tip of
Africa then to Asia. Sailed around the Cape of
Good hope to India.
Balboa
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Spain
Explored the west coast near the Isthmus of Panama.
Why – Looking for a route to Asia
When – 1513
1st European to see the Pacific ocean, reach the
western coast of Americas, & proved the Americas
were separate from Asia.
• Left Spain and went through the Isthmus of panama
which connects North and South America.