Transcript Slide 1
Early European Explorers Helen Chaney OKAGE Teacher Consultant Bartolomeu Dias (1487) • A Portuguese sailor • Blown off course by a storm • Sailed around the southern tip of Africa • Proved it was possible to sail to Africa’s east coast and on to India Christopher Columbus (1492) • Sailed to the islands of the West Indies trying to find Asia in search of spices • Believed he could reach Asia by sailing West across the Atlantic Ocean • Asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to fund his trip Vasco de Gama (1498) • Led the first Portuguese voyage to India • Given the title “Admiral of the Indian Seas” • Established several Portuguese colonies in East Africa and India Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1513) • Sailed to and crossed the Isthmus of Panama in Central America • Reached the Pacific Ocean in 1513, naming it “Mar del Sur” (the Southern Sea) Juan Ponce de León (1513) • First Spanish conquistador to reach what is now the United States looking for gold • Claimed Florida for Spain • Searched for the “Fountain of Youth” Hernán Cortés (1519) • Spanish conquistador • Led an expedition to Mexico in search of gold • Defeated the Aztecs with the help of the Aztec’s enemies Ferdinand Magellan (1519-1522) • Sailed for Spain • Believed that he could sail West, go around South America and end up back in Spain • Named the Pacific Ocean • Died in battle in the Philippine Islands Hernando de Soto (15391542) • • • • A Spanish conquistador Conquered and settled in Florida Went to present day Georgia First European explorer to reach the Mississippi River Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1540-1541) • Spanish conquistador • Led an expedition into North America • Searched for some legendary cities of gold Henry Hudson (1609 and 1610) • Searched for Northwest Passage • Sailed for the Netherlands in 1609 and England in 1610 • Sailed up present day Hudson River • Discovered and named Hudson Bay Robert de La Salle (1682) • Explored the Mississippi river region • Claimed the Mississippi River and all the land around it for France • Named this vast area of Louisiana after King Louis XIV of France Land Ho!!!!!