2. Dias: 1488
Sponsored by: Portugal
First to round the tip of Africa
Called Cape of Good Hope:
Hard to get around Africa due to
timing of seasons (most
hurricanes start off the coast of
Africa)
Had to plan journey to get to
destination AND BACK without
hitting storms
3. Columbus: 1492
Sponsored by: Spain (specifically
Isabella – Catherine of Aragon's
Mommy and the woman who led the
Spanish
Inquisition)
First European to SHARE his
discovery of the New World (AKA
Americas)
While the Vikings “discovered” the
New World, they never shared this
information – so don’t get the “credit”
Opens the New World to exploration
Brings much wealth to Spain through
trade of new items
Landed in Bahamas, Cuba, and
Hispaniola but DIES believing he
was in India. (Why we foolishly refer
to Native Americans as Indians!)
4. •Reached India by sailing
around the tip of Africa
•After bringing back goods
from Asia, was able to clear
a profit of several thousand
percent.
•Shows investors that the
profit was worth the risk of
the investment of money
(and life)
5. •Even though he is originally from
Italy, he sails under the crown of
England
•Lands in New England (Northeastern
USA)
•Opens North America to exploration
•Begins basis for American Colonies
and English influence in the USA
6. •Lands at a time that the Aztecs believe their GOD
could return
•Opens Central America (Mexico) to exploration
•Gains much wealth for Spain by looting the Aztec
capital and people
•Many Spaniards claim that the Aztec turned on
their own leader (Montezuma) after he allowed
Cortes to ravage the land
– most historians believe Cortes murdered him
7. •Attempts to find a westward passage to
the East
•His men are the first to circumnavigate the
globe, even though he is killed in a battle
along the way
•1/5 original ships make the entire journey
•Only 19/241 original sailors survive
8. •Explores much of S. America in the name of the
Spanish– especially present day Peru and along the
Andes Mountains
•Destroys the Incan Civilization and slays their leader
•Forces the people into slavery and starves them to
death
9. North American:
Champlain: 1603 Hudson: 1609
* Both explore regions in North America for someone OTHER than
Spain! Netherlands (Dutch)
Explores for France
and English
Sets up precedent for Explores areas around
French Canadian New York and Canada
Areas of the Great – Hudson River and
Hudson Bay are named
Lakes which borders after him
USA and Canada
