Name: _____________________________
Date: __________________ Period: _____
Map of Explorers
Map of Explorers
In the first half of the 16th century, many Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean to explore
what are now North America and South America.
 Read the map entitled “European Exploration of the Americas 1500-1550,” on page 30 of your textbook. It provides
information on the routes these explorers took and the dates of their explorations.
Label the following bodies of water and land areas on the map.
 Label the routes that each of the following Spanish Explorers took.
 Label the areas that were explored by France and England by writing the country names on the map in the area explored.
Bodies of Water
Atlantic Ocean
Gulf of Mexico
Pacific Ocean
Mississippi River
Rio Grande
Caribbean Sea
Land Areas
North America Puerto Rico
Mexico
Cuba
Florida
Panama
New Mexico
Peru
Texas
Routes of Explorers
Balboa
Cortes
Cabeza de Vaca
Ponce de Leon
Cabrillo
De Soto
Coronado
Pizzaro
1. Which Spanish explorer sailed from Puerto Rico around the coast of Florida?
2. Which explorer led an expedition in the lower Mississippi River valley?
3. What states did this explorer travel through while exploring the lower Mississippi River Valley?
4. Which explorer of the routes labels traveled farther south than any other did?
5. Describe the route taken by Cabeza de Vaca.
6. What modern country did one explorer cross to go from one ocean to another?
7. Which explorer does this sentence describe: “Seeking the rumored cities of gold, he traveled
through the southwestern United States, primarily present-day New Mexico and neighboring states.”
8. In which state would you expect to find the Cabrillo National Monument? Why?
9. Which country had the most explorers in the Americas at this time?
10. Which explorer led an expedition into Tenochtitlan, and what country was he from?
11. Describe the route taken by Columbus from 1502 to 1504.
12. Name the explorers on the map from Portugal.
13. Which direction did Verrazano first travel when leaving France to go to North America?
14. Which French explorer travels most inland during his explorations?
15. What part of America did England first explore?