A TEACHER'S GUIDE
EXPLORER COUNTRY YEAR[in order] GEOGRAPHIC AREA EXPLORED Columbus Spain 1492 Sailed westward to find route to China, found the New World John Cabot England 1497 Sailed to the Grand Banks while doing the same thing Amerigo Vespucci Italy 1498 Sailed South America's coast - later maps called it "America" Vasco Da Gama Portugal 1498 Sailed around the tip of Africa and reached the Indies Vasco de Balboa Spain 1513 Crossed Panama southward, finding the "South Sea," the Pacific Ponce de Leon Spain 1513 Landed in what is now Florida, claimed North America for Spain Ferdinand Magellan Spain 1519 First to sail around the world - around South America Hernando Cortez Spain 1519 Conquered the Aztec Empire of Mexico City Verrazano France 1524 Explored North America from North Carolina to Newfoundland Cabeza de Vaca Spain 1527 Explored Gulf Coast America by land for seven years, record it Francisco Pizarro Spain 1531 Conquered the Inca Empire of Peru, claimed it for Spain Jacques Cartier France 1534 Sailed the St. Lawrence River, claimed it for France Hernando De Soto Spain 1539 Explored deep into North America, claimed it for Spain Coronado Spain 1540 Explored North America's West to Kansas, claimed it for Spain Tristan De Luna Spain 1559 Short settlement in Mobile where his people explored Alabama Pedro Menendez Spain 1565 Founded St. Augustine, oldest lasting city in North America Sir Francis Drake England 1577 Treasure ship pirate, chased Spanish ships all over the world Sir Walter Raleigh England 1585 Founded and lost the first English colony in North America The Pilgrims England 1620 Sailed the Mayflower to Plymouth to attain religious freedomA NOTE FOR TEACHERS Links to More Explorers
