EUROPEAN EXPLORERS

WHII.4a

Explorers: Portugal

Bartholomeu Dias

Goal: find the southern tip of Africa

Result: Proved ships could reach Asia by sailing around Africa

Explorers: Portugal

Vasco da Gama

Goal: find water route to Asia

Result: pioneered water route to India

Explorers: Spain

Christopher Columbus

Goal: reach Asia by sailing west across Atlantic Ocean

Result: 1st European to the Americas

Explorers: Spain

Hernando Cortez

Conquistador

Goal: claim land for Spain

Result: conquered Aztecs in Mexico

Explorers: Spain

Francisco Pizarro

Conquistador

Goal: claim land for Spain

Result: conquered Incas in Peru

Explorers: Spain

Ferdinand Magellan

Goal: Find western water route to Asia

Result: His crew was 1st to circumnavigate the globe

Proved the earth was round

Explorers: England

Francis Drake

Goal: compete with Spanish & Portuguese

Result: 1st Englishman to circumnavigate the globe

Explorers: France

Jacques Cartier

Goal: search for a Northwest Passage through America to Asia

Result: explored and claimed Canada for France