Christopher Columbus had financed with Spain to find a western trade route to Asia. He lands in the Caribbean in 1492, thinking that he had reached East Asia. His voyage opened America to other explorers.
John Cabot - June 24th, 1497 Hoping to find a northwest passage to Asia, explorer John Cabot sets out on a voyage from England. When he lands on the east coast of North America, he claims the land in the name of King Henry VII, mistakenly believing he is in Asia.
Ferdinand Magellan (c.1480-1521) Ferdinand Magellan was the first sailor to circumnavigate the seas from the Atlantic Ocean and cross the Pacific Ocean. He discovered the Philippines where we was also killed in what is known as the Battle of Mactan.
Vasco da Gama (c.1460/1469-1524) Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was commander of one of the sailing ships that ventured into India from Europe. As one of the pioneers of the Age of Exploration, he became Governor of India in 1524.
James Cook (1728-1779) Hawaiian Islands An English captain who circumnavigated around the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. He made contact with the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands, Australia, New Zealand, and around the Indian Ocean back to the Atlantic.
Lewis and Clark The exploration of the western United States US Army volunteers Second Lieutenant William Clark and Captain Meriwether Lewis led the Corps of Discovery Expedition in 1804. They explored the western United States beginning in Missouri through the Mississippi to the Pacific coast.
Hernan Cortés (1485-1547) Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernan Cortés lands on the coast of Mexico with 600 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons. While the Spaniards are vastly outnumbered by the Aztecs, they capture and demolish the capital city of Tenochtitlán in a brutal assault in 1521. Their actions inspire other conquistadors to conquer regions in the Americas.
John Smith (c.1580-1631) One of the men responsible for the earliest settlement for the English in North America.
