Explorers

This navigator sailed for Spain. America was named after him.

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Amerigo Vespucci

• Hernán Cortés

An Italian merchant who wrote a book about his travels to the Far East along the Silk Road.

• Marco Polo

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Vasco da Gama

A French explorer who built a fortress in what is now Quebec City in Canada. He is known as the “Father of New France.”

• Jacques Cartier

• Samuel de Champlain

• Henri de Tonti

• Louis Jolliet

This Italian explorer, working for France, traveled the Northwest Coast and New York Harbor looking for a sea route to Asia. A bridge named after this explorer connects Staten Island and Brooklyn.

• Giovanni Da Verrazzano

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Marco Polo

The conquistador defeated the Aztecs and conquered Mexico for Spain.

• Hernan Cortes

• Francisco Pizarro

• Diego Velazquez

• Juan de Salazar

Although his ship succeeded in circumnavigating the entire world, he did not survive the entire trip.

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• James Cook

• Vasco da Gama

This explorer overthrew the Inca leader Atahualpa and conquered Peru.

• Hernán Cortés

• Francisco Pizarro

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa

• Ferdinand Magellan

This explorer is known for being the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean, which he discovered while exploring the Isthmus of Panama. This territory later became Colombia.

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Nunez de Balboa

• Hernan Cortes

This navigator landed on the North American mainland and named the region Florida.

• Christopher Columbus

• Hernán Cortés

• Ponce de Leon

• Ferdinand Magellan

The prince of Portugal who sponsored voyages to the African coast for trade in ivory and gold.

• Henry the Navigator

• Christopher Columbus

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Vasco da Gama