EARLY EXPLORERS
OF THE AMERICAS
Sarah Herbert
• Content Area: Social Studies/Geography
• Grade Level: 4th Grade
• Summary: The purpose of this instructional PowerPoint is for the students to learn about who the early explorers
of the Americas are, where they started their explorations, and what kind of geographical landscapes/terrain that
the explorers had to overcome on their voyage to the Americas. In this instructional PowerPoint/activity, the
students will use three of the six essential elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places and regions, and the
use of geography.
• Learning Objective: Given the information from the PowerPoint, the websites and maps within the
PowerPoint, and the table that each student will make on slide 14 of the PowerPoint, the students will be able to
trace the routes of the early explorers on a map(this will be provided for them at the end of class) with 100%
accuracy.
Content Standard: 3.0
Geography enables the students to see, understand, and appreciate the web of relationships between
people, places, and environments. Students will use the knowledge, skills, and understanding of
concepts within the six essential elements of geography: world in spatial terms, places and regions,
physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography.
Accomplishment
4.3.01 – Understand how to use maps, globes, and other geographic representations, tools, and
technologies, to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.
c. Locate the routes of early explorers of North America on a map
Who are the early Explorers of North America
that we will be focusing on?
• Christopher Columbus
• Ferdinand Magellan
• Amerigo Vespucci
• Robert de La Salle
Click on this website to gather some background information on
the explorers and their explorations
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/namerica.shtml
Facts about Christopher Columbus
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Famous Italian Explorer for discovering the “New World” of the Americas
He made 4 voyages to the Americas
Columbus had to crossed the Atlantic Ocean for each voyage
His first voyage was in 1492 from Spain to the Bahamas
The goal of his ventures was to find a quick route to Asia and also to find
gold/treasures.
Watch this short video to learn more about Christopher
Columbus and his voyages
http://www.history.com/topics/exploration/christopher-columbus/videos/christopher-columbus-setssail?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false
Christopher Columbus’s Exploration Route
This is a map of Columbus’s routes from Spain
to the Americas
Ferdinand Magellan
• Portuguese explorer who led the first expedition that sailed around the earth (1519-1522)
• Led a Spanish expedition in 1521 that was the first known crossing of the Pacific Ocean
• Magellan was the man who proved that the world was round
Click this link to view a short video on the biography of Magellan
and also to read a brief synopsis of his expeditions
http://mrnussbaum.com/explorers/magellan/
Ferdinand Magellan’s Exploration Routes
This is a map of Magellan’s voyage
around the world
Amerigo Vespucci
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Played a prominent role in exploring the New World
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America got its name from Amerigo Vespucci
First person to realize that the Americas were a separate
continent from Asia
Click on the link below to read more about Vespucci and to see a quick
video about his voyages/legacy
http://www.biography.com/people/amerigo-vespucci9517978#synopsis
Amerigo Vespucci’s Exploration Route
This is a map that shows the routes of
both of Vespucci’s voyages
Robert de La Salle
Rene`-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle: North American Explorer
• French Explorer
• Was the first European to travel the length of the Mississippi river (1682)
• The goal of his expedition was to explore/establish fur-trade routes along the
Mississippi River
• La Salle also explored Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, and Lake Ontario – The
Great Lakes
Click the link below to read more about Robert de La Salle and his expeditions
http://mrnussbaum.com/explorers/robert_sieur_de_la_salle/
Robert de La Salle’s Exploration Route
This is a map that shows his route through North
America
Question
What geographical landform did each of the explorers
have to overcome on their voyage to the Americas?
A. Mountains
B. Valleys
C. Bodies of Water
D. Cliffs
Correct!
Each of the explorers had to go through/cross a body of
water to get to North America.
Explorer/Exploration Table
Directions: Students, you are to complete this table. This table will help you complete the
assignment that will be given to you for homework(homework assignment is on the next slide.
Christopher
Columbus
Number of Explorations
to North America
Exploration starting point
(continent+city)
Where did they land?
(where/what part of
North America)
What was there
exploration goal?
Geographical
landscape/features on
their route to the
Americas
Ferdinand
Magellan
Amerigo Vespucci
Robert de La Salle
Map for Homework
For homework: You will be given a hand out of the map shown below.
On the map you will be labeling the
continents, cities(only the cities from which the explorers start their journey and where they touch down in North
America), and major bodies of water. After labeling everything, you are to trace each of the explorers routes(each
explorers route must be traced with a different color) to the Americas(some explorers have more than 1 route to the
Americas, in that case you only have to trace their first route to the Americas).
What have we learned?
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Who the main early explorers of the Americas are
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The number of voyages that each explorer took
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The goals of the explorers voyages
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The routes that each explorer had to take to make it to the Americas
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The geographical features/landforms/bodies of water that the explorers had
to cross to make it into the Americas