Early Explorers and Map Skills

SOL 3.3 and 3.5

ANTARCTICA

ASIAEUROPE

NORTH AMERICA

SOUTH AMERICA

AFRICA

AUSTRALIA

ANTARCTICA

Atlan

tic

Oce

an

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

Arctic Ocean

North America

We live on the continent of North America. Can you name the countries

on our continent?

United States

Canada

Mexico At

lant

ic O

cean

Pacifi

c Oce

an

England

Spain

France

Italy

Spain

France

England

Italy

A person who travels looking

for new discoveries

Who sailed the ocean blue in

1492?

In 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic Ocean to find a western

route to Asia.

Before he left, he had spent much time trying to convince King Ferdinand

and Queen Isabella of Spain to pay for the ships. He promised to

bring them all of the finest riches in India. This would

not be easy because Columbus would have to

sail west to reach the Indies in the east.

The King and Queen finally agreed and gave Columbus three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the

Santa Maria. After a difficult voyage, Columbus and his three ships landed.

SPAIN

SAN SALVADOR

SPAIN

SAN SALVADOR

SPAIN

SAN SALVADOR

SPAIN

SAN SALVADOR

Believing he had landed in India he named the native people there Indians. Columbus actually landed on

an island south of North America, known as San Salvador. He became the first European to

discover the “New World.”

Click on the links below to learn more about your explorer!

• World Explorers

• Explorers

• Columbus Poster

• Kidinfo Explorers

• Social Studies for Kids