THE AGE OF EXPLORATION

1000-1600

THE EARLY VIKINGS

Who: Leif Erikson

When: 1000 AD

Why: Being a Viking

Details: Explored and settled the coast of Greenland,

so technically he was the first to settle

North America.

MARCO POLO

Who: Italy

When: 1270

Why: Wanted more money by trading with Asia

Details: Introduced Europeans to Central Asia. He

wrote his memoirs which inspired the Age of

Exploration and Christopher Columbus.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

Who: Spain

When: 1492

Why: Looking for a faster trade route to India and Asia

Details: He set sail on the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.

After three months of sailing his crew wanted to kill him

when they saw land. He landed on an island in the

Caribbean never reaching the mainland. Died never

knowing he was in North America.

VASCO DE GAMA

Who: Spain

When: 1497

Why: Faster route to India and Asia

Details: First person to sail around the tip of Africa

and the first person to sail directly to India from

Europe.

FERDINAND MAGELLEN

Who: Spain

When: 1519-22

Why: Trying to make it around the world

Details: Became the first expedition to

circumnavigate the globe. They started with five

ships and 237 men. Only 18 survived. Magellen

died in the Philippines.

VASCO DE NUNEZ BALBOA

Who: Spain

When: 1513

Why: Spanish Conqueror

Details: He was the first to walk across the New

World from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. It was

only 44 miles.

HERNAN CORTES

Who: Spanish

When: 1518

Why: He was looking for the Seven Cities of Gold

Details: Single handedly destroyed the entire Aztec

civilization. Ruthless and evil as he marched his way

to the Aztec capital and killed their king.

JUAN PONCE DE LEON

Who: Spain

When: 1513

Why: Went looking for the Fountain of Youth

Details: Explored most of Florida, named it, claimed

it for Spain, but never found the Fountain of Youth as

evidenced by his death.

FRANCISCO PIZARRO

Who: Spain

When: 1532

Why: Went looking for the Incan’s gold

Details: He found the Incans, killed them, and took

their leader, Atahualpa captive. He made the Incans

fill one room with gold and two with silver to get him

back. He took the money and killed Atahualpa.

JOHN CABOT

Who: England

When: 1497

Why: He was England’s version of Columbus

Details: First to explore the North American coast

where current US is and laid claim to it for the

English. Disappeared on one of his voyages.

HENRY HUDSON

Who: English and Dutch

When: 1607-11

Why: Looking for the Northwest Passage

Details: Explored modern day New York City, the

Hudson River (named it after himself). He

disappeared after his crew threw him overboard.

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN

Who: French

When: 1603

Why: Exploration and Settlement

Details: Created the first European settlement in

Canada/northern US. He made many friendships

with the Native tribes and created numerous

settlements.

JACQUES CARTIER

Who: France

When: 1534-42

Why: Looking for the Northwest Passage

Details: He explored and named Canada looking in

the St. Lawrence gulf and river for a water route

through the Americas. Set up many fur trading

posts.

AMERIGO VESPUCCI

Who: Italy

When: 1497-1502

Why: Following in Columbus’ footsteps

Details: Explored much of the coasts of North and

South America. Was in the right place at the right

time and got two whole continents named after him.

JOHN SMITH

Who: England

When: 1608

Why: Settlement of the New World/Gold

Details: Was sent to create the first permanent

settlement in the New World in Jamestown, Virginia.

They came for gold but they ended up just fighting to

survive.

THE EMPIRES

Spain

Came to conquer with Conquistadors

Looking for gold and riches

Enslaved the Natives

Organized their empire in the New World around

slavery, mining, and land acquisition.

THE EMPIRES

France

Came to trade and make money

They set up their empire to live with the Natives,

using them to trade with for furs

Set up small trading posts with very little if any

troops

THE EMPIRES

England

Looking for gold and wealth but chose the wrong

land for that.

Decided instead for land and spreading their

empire.

They tried to live with the Natives, but sometimes

killed them.

Daniel BooneH

e was a mountain man (Appalachian Mts.)

C

leared the route from East Coast to Ohio

M

ade the Cumberland Gap

L

ed settlers to Ohio River Valley

Lewis and ClarkE

xplored the Louisiana Territory

T

raveled 4,200 miles over 2.5 years

F

ound 176 different plants and over 100 animals

S

acajawea, a Shoshone woman, helped the expedition survive

C

reated journals and 140 maps, but more importantly showed the nation

just how much can be accomplished and opened up the imaginations and

western lands of America

Zebulon PikeH

e led an expedition while Lewis and Clark were

making their way back home

T

hey explored the Continental Divide (Rocky

Mountains)

N

amed Pike’s Peak

Davy Crockett“King of the Wild Frontier”

Had a very full life! The original Chuck Norris

It was said that he killed a bear with his bear hands as a child.

He was a frontiersman

War hero

Congress man

One of the leaders of the Alamo

When Chuck Norris is laughing, someone is about to die! Be afraid man in red sweater, be afraid.