European Explorers
Bartholomeu
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Vasco da Gama
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Niccolo and Marco Polo
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Christopher ColumbusHe was an Italian explorer but worked for the queen of Spain. In 1492, he had three ships (the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta) and reached the Bahamas and explored the
coastline of Cuba. During his 3 voyages from 1493-1502 he sought to find mainland Asia through the outer lands. “In his four voyages, he reached all the major islands of the Caribbean and the mainland of Central America.” |
John CabotA Venetian seaman, “explored the New England coastline of the Americas under a
license from King Henry VII of England.” |
Pedro CabralA Portuguese sea captain, who in 1500 discovered the continent of South America.
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Amerigo VespucciA Florentine, who went on several voyages and “wrote a series of letters describing
the geography of the New World." The publication of these letters led to the name “America” for the new lands. |
Vasco Nunez de BalboaHe was a Spanish explorer who “led an expedition across the Isthmus of Panama and reached the Pacific Ocean in 1513.”
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Ferdinand MagellanHe was from Spain. In 1519, he passed through the straits at the southern tip of South America, sailed across the Pacific Ocean and reached the Philippines, where he met his death at the hands of natives. "One of his original fleet of five ships survived and returned to Spain." His name is associated with the first known circumnavigation of the
earth. |