
Who were pioneers in exploration?
- Marco Polo (1254-1324) …
- Zheng He (c. …
- Henry the Navigator (1394-1460) …
- Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) …
- Vasco da Gama (c. …
- John Cabot (c. …
- Pedro Álvares Cabral (c. …
- Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512)
Who were the most famous European explorers?
- Roald Amundsen.
- Neil Armstrong.
- Ibn Battuta.
- Nellie Bly.
- Daniel Boone.
- Christopher Columbus.
- Captain James Cook.
- Hernan Cortes.
Who was the first European to discover the Western Hemisphere?
Who was the first European to "discover" the Western Hemisphere? Christopher Columbus. What Spanish explorer conquered the Aztecs? Hernando Cortes. ... What important agricultural products did the Western Hemisphere send to Europe? corn, potatoes, tobacco, sugar. What was the result of these products?
Who was Alaskas first European exploration?
The 1700s
- In 1728, Vitus Bering, a Danish explorer, documents the Bering Strait between Asia and North America.
- In 1741, A Russian expedition led by Vitus Bering, along with George Steller, made the first "discovery" of Alaska, landing near what today is Kayak Island.
- In 1778, Captain James Cook sailed into what is now the Cook Inlet. ...
Who was the first European to sail around the world?
The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is often credited as being the first person to have circumnavigated the globe, but the reality of his journey is a bit more complicated. Magellan first set sail in September 1519 as part of an epic attempt to find a western route to the spice-rich East Indies in modern-day Indonesia.
When was the Mississippi River first explored?
Where was the first colony in North America?

Who were three major European explorers?
Famous European explorers included Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco de Gama, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, Hernando Cortes, John Cabot and Samuel de Champlain!
Who were the earliest explorers?
The first Europeans to land on the mainland of North America were the Viking explorer Leif Eriksson and his party. Leif was one of Erik the Red's sons and had accompanied him to Greenland. The exploits of Erik and Leif are the subjects of Norse sagas, which are stories or histories in prose.
Who were the 8 European explorers?
Here are some of the most famous navigators whose lack of GPS inadvertently had a major impact on the modern world.Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) ... Juan Ponce de León (1460–1521) ... John Cabot (1450-?) ... Giovanni de Verrazzano (1485–1528) ... Jacques Cartier (1491–1557) ... Henry Hudson (1570?-1611?)
Who were the four European explorers?
The four explorers, Francisco Coronado, Robert LaSalle, Samuel de Champlain, and John Cabot, represent the three major European nations that decidedly settled in what is now the United States.
Who was the greatest explorer ever?
10 greatest explorers of all timeIbn Battuta (1304-1369):Xuanzang or Hsuan-tsang (602-664):Marco Polo (1254-1324):Vasco Da Gama (1460-1524):Christopher Columbus (1451-1506):Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512):James Cook (1728-1779):Jeanne Baret (1740-1807):More items...•
Who was the first European?
The first Europeans to arrive in North America -- at least the first for whom there is solid evidence -- were Norse, traveling west from Greenland, where Erik the Red had founded a settlement around the year 985.
Who was the first European to discover America?
Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement.
Were there any female explorers?
Inspirational Female Explorers That Changed The WorldFive inspirational female explorers.Amelia Earhart (1897-1937)Freya Stark (1893-1993)Elizabeth Jane Cochran (aka Nellie Bly) (1864-1922)Isabella Bird (1831-1904)Jeanne Baret (1740-1807)
When did European exploration start?
The Age of Exploration (also called the Age of Discovery) began in the 1400s and continued through the 1600s. It was a period of time when the European nations began exploring the world. They discovered new routes to India, much of the Far East, and the Americas.
Who led the first European expedition?
Leif Eriksson Day commemorates the Norse explorer believed to have led the first European expedition to North America. Nearly 500 years before the birth of Christopher Columbus, a band of European sailors left their homeland behind in search of a new world.
Who is the most famous British explorer?
1. James Cook (1728 - 1779) With an HPI of 82.31, James Cook is the most famous Explorer. His biography has been translated into 151 different languages on wikipedia.
Who was the first explorer to sail completely around the world?
MagellanOne of the most noted of Portuguese-born explorers was Fernão de Magalhães (anglicized as "Magellan"), who instigated and organized the first circumnavigation of the globe from 1519 to 1522.
Who were the original explorers of the Americas?
Five hundred years before Columbus, a daring band of Vikings led by Leif Eriksson set foot in North America and established a settlement. And long before that, some scholars say, the Americas seem to have been visited by seafaring travelers from China, and possibly by visitors from Africa and even Ice Age Europe.
Who were the main explorers of America?
Great Explorers: The AmericasLeif Erikson. ... Christopher Columbus. ... Juan Ponce de Leon. ... Hernan Cortes. ... Francisco Pizarro. ... Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. ... Henry Hudson. ... Hernando de Soto.More items...
Who were the first English explorers of America?
William Weston, a 15th-century merchant from Bristol, was probably the first Englishman to lead an expedition to North America, the voyage taking place most likely in 1499 or 1500.
Who was the most important explorers in the Age of Exploration and why?
Undoubtedly, Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World in 1492 was the single most important event of the Age of Discovery, and it helped pave the way for other explorations. Explorers like John Cabot, Ponce de Leon, Ferdinand Magellan, and Vasco de Balboa were important figures in the 'Age of Discovery.
Timeline Of European Explorers | Timetoast timelines
King Henry IV of France was worried because if no settlement was set in Canada, France might not be able to claim new land and riches. In 1603, he sent Aymar de Chaste out on an expedition to Canada, and gave him a monopoly on the fur trade in Canada.
List of explorers - Wikipedia
The following is a list of explorers.Their common names, countries of origin (modern and former), centuries when they were active and main areas of exploration are listed below.
Where did European explorers explore?
In the 15th century, Europeans began to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new routes to China and the East, but in the process they discovered an entirely New World: North and South America, plus many other lands.
Who was the first explorer?
Leif Eriksson Day commemorates the Norse explorer believed to have led the first European expedition to North America. Nearly 500 years before the birth of Christopher Columbus, a band of European sailors left their homeland behind in search of a new world.
What did Christopher Columbus discover?
Explorer Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) is known for his 1492 ‘discovery’ of the New World of the Americas on board his ship Santa Maria. In actual fact, Columbus did not discover North America.
What did European explorers do?
European exploration, exploration of regions of Earth for scientific, commercial, religious, military, and other purposes by Europeans, beginning about the 4th century bce. … Strong among them are the satisfaction of curiosity, the pursuit of trade, the spread of religion, and the desire for security and political power.
Who were the European explorers that came to America?
The famous exploers included Christopher Columbus, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, Leif Ericson, Sir Francis Drake, Ponce de Leon, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Samuel de Champlain, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, Sir Walter Raleigh, Jacques Cartier, Henry Hudson, Hernando de Soto and John Cabot.
Who are explorers?
Explorers are people who have blazed the trail in going to new places. The Age of Exploration took place between the 15th and 17th centuries. During this time many countries in Europe sent out explorers to discover new lands, find trade routes, seek treasure, and gain territory for their country.
Who was the French explorers?
Explorers are people who have blazed the trail in going to new places. The Age of Exploration took place between the 15th and 17th centuries. During this time many countries in Europe sent out explorers to discover new lands, find trade routes, seek treasure, and gain territory for their country.
When was the Mississippi River first explored?
1540 Explored southeastern North America, first to reach the Mississippi River
Where was the first colony in North America?
1585 Starts the first colony in North America on Roanoke Island in present day North Carolina.
When did European exploration begin?from britannica.com
European exploration, exploration of regions of Earth for scientific, commercial, religious, military, and other purposes by Europeans, beginning about the 4th century bce.
Who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean?from en.wikipedia.org
Based on this treaty and on early claims by Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to see the Pacific Ocean in 1513. The Spanish explorers, conquerors, and settlers sought material wealth, individual aggrandizement, and the spread of Christianity, often summed up in the phrase "gold, glory, and God".
What are the three phases of geographical exploration?from britannica.com
Three major phases of investigation may nevertheless be distinguished. The first phase is the exploration of the Old World centred on the Mediterranean Sea, the second is the so-called Age of Discovery, during which, in the search for sea routes to Cathay (the name by which Chinawas known to medievalEurope), a New World was found , and the third is the establishment of the political, social, and commercial relationships of the New World to the Old and the elucidation of the major physical features of the continental interiors—in short, the delineation of the modern world.
What is the name of the island that Ptolemy ruled?from britannica.com
Eastward of this is Ptolemy’s India, with the huge island of Taprobane —a muddled representation of the Indian peninsula and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
What animals did Europeans have?from en.wikipedia.org
The European lifestyle included a long history of sharing close quarters with domesticated animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, dogs and various domesticated fowl, from which many diseases originally stemmed. In contrast to the indigenous people, the Europeans had developed a richer endowment of antibodies. The large-scale contact with Europeans after 1492 introduced Eurasian germs to the indigenous people of the Americas .
How did Europeans enslave indigenous peoples?from en.wikipedia.org
Europeans enslaved indigenous peoples where they lived in the Americas and transported African slaves to work on large-scale plantations. Indigenous population loss following European contact directly led to Spanish explorations beyond the Caribbean islands they initially claimed and settled in the 1490s, since they required a labor force to both produce food and to mine gold. Slavery was not unknown in indigenous societies. With the arrival of European colonists, enslavement of indigenous peoples "became commodified, expanded in unexpected ways, and came to resemble the kinds of human trafficking that are recognizable to us today". While disease was the main killer of indigenous peoples, the practice of slavery and forced labor was also significant contributor to the indigenous death toll. With the arrival of other Europeans other than Spanish, enslavement of native populations increased since there were no prohibitions against slavery until decades later. It is estimated that from Columbus's arrival to the end of the nineteenth century between 2.5 and 5 million Native Americans were forced into slavery. Indigenous men, women, and children were often forced into labor in sparsely populated frontier settings, in the household, or in the toxic gold and silver mines. This practice was known as the encomienda system and granted free native labor to the Spaniards. Based upon the practice of exacting tribute from Muslims and Jews during the Reconquista, the Spanish Crown granted a number of native laborers to an encomendero, who was usually a conquistador or other prominent Spanish male. Under the grant, they were bound theoretically bound to both protecting the natives and converting them to Christianity. In exchange for their forced conversion to Christianity, the natives paid tributes in the form of gold, agricultural products, and labor. The Spanish crown tried to terminate the system through the Laws of Burgos (1512–13) and the New Laws of the Indies (1542). However, the encomenderos refused to comply with the new measures and the indigenous people continued to be exploited. Eventually, the encomienda system was replaced by the repartimiento system which was not abolished until the late 18th century.
What was the focus of the French colonial regions?from en.wikipedia.org
In the French colonial regions, the focus of economy was on sugar plantations in Caribbean. In Canada the fur trade with the natives was important. About 16,000 French men and women became colonizers. The great majority became subsistence farmers along the St. Lawrence River. With a favorable disease environment and plenty of land and food, their numbers grew exponentially to 65,000 by 1760. Their colony was taken over by Britain in 1760, but social, religious, legal, cultural and economic changes were few in a society that clung tightly to its recently formed traditions.
When did European exploration begin?
European exploration, exploration of regions of Earth for scientific, commercial, religious, military, and other purposes by Europeans, beginning about the 4th century bce.
Who explored the New World?
Map depicting the European exploration of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries, including the voyages made by Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Alonso de Ojeda and Amerigo Vespucci, Pedro Álvares Cabral, Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastián del Cano, Giovanni da Verrazzano, Jacques Cartier, Sir Francis Drake, and others .
When was the first map made?
The earliest known surviving map, dating probably from the time of Sargonof Akkad (about 2334–2279 bce), shows canals or rivers—perhaps the Tigris and a tributary—and surrounding mountains. The rapid colonization of the shores of the Mediterranean and of the Black Seaby Phoeniciaand the Greek city-states in the 1st millennium bcemust have been accompanied by the exploration of their hinterlandsby countless unknown soldiers and traders. Herodotusprefaces his History(written in the 5th century bce) with a geographical description of the then known world: this introductory material reveals that the coastlines of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea had by then been explored.
Which two countries colonized the Mediterranean and Black Sea?
The rapid colonization of the shores of the Mediterranean and of the Black Sea by Phoenicia and the Greek city-states in the 1st millennium bce must have been accompanied by the exploration of their hinterlands by countless unknown soldiers and traders.
What are the three phases of geographical exploration?
Three major phases of investigation may nevertheless be distinguished. The first phase is the exploration of the Old World centred on the Mediterranean Sea, the second is the so-called Age of Discovery, during which, in the search for sea routes to Cathay (the name by which Chinawas known to medievalEurope), a New World was found , and the third is the establishment of the political, social, and commercial relationships of the New World to the Old and the elucidation of the major physical features of the continental interiors—in short, the delineation of the modern world.
Who was the first European to find the eastern shores of the Pacific Ocean?
In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519) became the first European to find the eastern shores of the Pacific Ocean. That same year, Juan Ponce de León (1460–1521) led the first European expedition into Florida , which he claimed for Spain.
Who was the first person to discover the continents?
In 1499 and 1500, Italian navigator Amerigo de Vespucci (1454–1512) led a Spanish-sponsored expedition that first discovered the mainland of the American continents; the name “America” is derived from his name.
What did the Spanish find in the New World?
The first Spaniards to arrive in the New World found gold and silver there. News of possible riches brought many more explorers and Spanish conquistadors (conquerors) to the American continents in the first half of the sixteenth century. In 1499 and 1500, Italian navigator Amerigo de Vespucci (1454–1512) led a Spanish-sponsored expedition that first discovered the mainland of the American continents; the name “America” is derived from his name. In 1513, Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1475–1519) became the first European to find the eastern shores of the Pacific Ocean. That same year, Juan Ponce de León (1460–1521) led the first European expedition into Florida , which he claimed for Spain. From 1519 to 1521, Hernán Cortés (1485–1547) explored central Mexico and conquered the powerful Aztecs, taking over their principal city and establishing the headquarters of New Spain in Mexico City.
What did Columbus call the West Indies?
Thinking he had arrived in Asia, he called the islands the “ West Indies ” and their people, “Indians.”. Columbus went to explore and create colonies for Spain in the islands. Italian explorer John Cabot (c. 1450–c. 1499) was living in England when he learned of Columbus's voyages.
What did France do to establish colonies in the New World?
France, too, wished to find trade routes to Asia and establish colonies in the New World. In 1524, the French king sponsored an expedition to the New World seeking the elusive Northwest Passage. The expedition was led by Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano (c. 1485–c. 1528), who explored the East Coast of the present-day United States from what is now North Carolina up to Nova Scotia, Canada. He reported on the New York and Narragansett Bays upon his return. From 1534 to 1541, Jacques Cartier (1491–1557) made three voyages to Canada, discovering the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.
What did Jacques Cartier discover?
From 1534 to 1541, Jacques Cartier (1491–1557) made three voyages to Canada, discovering the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the St. Lawrence River.
What was the major incentive in the burst of European exploration that began in the fifteenth century?
Trade was the major incentive in the burst of European exploration that began in the fifteenth century. Once European countries, particularly Italy, had developed trade relations with the Middle East (a vast region of the world encompassing North Africa and Southwest Asia), goods from Asia were in high demand. European governments began to sponsor navigators (people who set the courses for ships) to explore new routes to the mysterious regions beyond the borders of Europe. The Portuguese were the first to find routes around the Horn of Africa (a peninsula in northeastern Africa) to India in 1498. Portugal then reaped huge profits in trade in Asia and Africa.
Who was the first European explorer to circumnavigate the globe?from biography.com
Ferdinand Magellan. While in the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led the first European voyage of discovery to circumnavigate the globe. As a boy, Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to East Africa.
What did Europeans search for when they first began sailing across the Atlantic Ocean?from biography.com
When Europeans first began sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, they were searching for new routes to China and the East, but what they found was more than they imagined: the New World.
What did Magellan study?from biography.com
As a boy, Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to East Africa. By 1509, he found himself at the Battle of Diu, in which the Portuguese destroyed Egyptian ships in the Arabian Sea.
Where did the first voyage of the Vespucci take place?from biography.com
On May 10, 1497, Vespucci embarked on his first voyage, departing from Cadiz with a fleet of Spanish ships. In May 1499, sailing under the Spanish flag, Vespucci embarked on his next expedition, as a navigator under the command of Alonzo de Ojeda. Crossing the equator, they traveled to the coast of what is now Guyana, where it is believed that Vespucci left Ojeda and went on to explore the coast of Brazil. During this journey, Vespucci is said to have discovered the Amazon River and Cape St. Augustine.
Where did Magellan's fleet reach?from biography.com
In March 1521, Magellan’s fleet reached Homonhom Island on the edge of the Philippines with less than 150 of the 270 men who started the expedition. Magellan traded with Rajah Humabon, the island king, and a bond was quickly formed.
Who discovered the Pacific Ocean?from biography.com
In 1513, Spanish explorer and conquistador Francisco Pizarro joined Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his march to the "South Sea," across the Isthmus of Panama. During their journey, Balboa and Pizarro discovered what is now known as the Pacific Ocean, although Balboa allegedly spied it first, and was therefore credited with the ocean's first European discovery.
Who conquered Peru in 1532?from biography.com
In 1528, Pizarro went back to Spain and managed to procure a commission from Emperor Charles V. Pizarro was to conquer the southern territory and establish a new Spanish province there. In 1532, accompanied by his brothers, Pizarro overthrew the Inca leader Atahualpa and conquered Peru. Three years later, he founded the new capital city of Lima. Over time, tensions increasingly built up between the conquistadors who had originally conquered Peru and those who arrived later to stake some claim in the new Spanish province. This conflict eventually led to Pizarro's assassination in 1541.
Who was the first European explorer to circumnavigate the globe?
Ferdinand Magellan. While in the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led the first European voyage of discovery to circumnavigate the globe. As a boy, Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to East Africa.
What did Europeans search for when they first began sailing across the Atlantic Ocean?
When Europeans first began sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, they were searching for new routes to China and the East, but what they found was more than they imagined: the New World.
What did Magellan study?
As a boy, Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to East Africa. By 1509, he found himself at the Battle of Diu, in which the Portuguese destroyed Egyptian ships in the Arabian Sea.
What was the name of the ship that sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in 1492?
In 1492, he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in the Santa Maria, with the Pinta and the Niña ships alongside, hoping to find a new route to India.
Where did Magellan's fleet reach?
In March 1521, Magellan’s fleet reached Homonhom Island on the edge of the Philippines with less than 150 of the 270 men who started the expedition. Magellan traded with Rajah Humabon, the island king, and a bond was quickly formed.
Where did Christopher Columbus go?
Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator. Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, participating in several trading voyages in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One such voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would ever come to Asia.
Who was America named after?
Photo: Austrian National Library. America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine navigator and explorer who played a prominent role in exploring the New World. On May 10, 1497, Vespucci embarked on his first voyage, departing from Cadiz with a fleet of Spanish ships.
When was the Mississippi River first explored?
1540 Explored southeastern North America, first to reach the Mississippi River
Where was the first colony in North America?
1585 Starts the first colony in North America on Roanoke Island in present day North Carolina.

Overview
This timeline of European exploration lists major geographic discoveries and other firsts credited to or involving Europeans during the Age of Discovery and the following centuries, between the years AD 1418 and 1957.
Despite several significant transoceanic and transcontinental explorations by European civilizations in the preceding centuries, the precise geography of the …
15th century
• 1418 – Portuguese explorers João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira discover Porto Santo Island in the Madeira archipelago.
• 1419 – Gonçalves and Vaz discover the main island of Madeira.
• 1431 – Diogo de Silves discovers the Azores.
16th century
• 1500 – Vicente Yáñez Pinzón reaches the northeast coast of what today is Brazil at a cape he names "Santa Maria de la Consolación" (Cabo de Santo Agostinho) and sails fifty miles up a river he names the "Marañón" (Amazon).
• 1500 – Pedro Álvares Cabral makes the "official" discovery of Brazil, leading the first expedition that united Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.
17th century
• 1600–01 – Prince Miron Shakhovskoi and D. Khripunov descend the Ob to the Ob Estuary and ascend the Taz River, establishing the ostrog of Mangazeya about 161 kilometres (100 mi) to 240 kilometres (150 mi) from its mouth.
• 1602–06 – Portuguese missionary Bento de Góis travels overland from India to China, via Afghanistan and the Pamirs.
18th century
• 1702 – The Spanish ship Rosario discovers Rosario Island, later renamed Nishinoshima in 1904, around 940 km (584 mi) south-southeast of Tokyo.
• 1706 – Mikhail Nasedkin reaches Cape Lopatka and sights Shumshu, northernmost of the Kuril Islands.
19th century
• 1800 – James Grant discovers the Australian coastline from Cape Banks to Cape Otway.
• c. 1801–04 – A fur trading post is built on Great Bear Lake.
• 1802 – John Murray discovers Port Phillip Bay.
20th century
• 1900 – Peary explores the north coast of Greenland from Cape Washington to Cape Clarence Wyckoff, on the way reaching Cape Morris Jesup, the most northern point of mainland Greenland.
• 1902–04 – Robert Falcon Scott traces the length of the Ross Ice Shelf, discovers the Edward VII Peninsula, reaches about 82°11’ S (in the process tracing 600 kilometres (370 mi) of the west coast of t…
Further reading
• Morris, Richard B. and Graham W. Irwin, eds. Harper encyclopedia of the modern world: a concise reference history from 1760 to the present (1970) online