Explorer Name

When Explored

Sailed From

Leif Ericson

Around 1000 A.D.

Greenland

Marco Polo

1271-1295

Venice

Christopher Columbus

Aug. 3, 1492

Spain

Vasco da Gama

1497-1499

Lisbon, Portugal

Ferdinand Magellan

1519-1522

Seville, Spain

Hernando Corts

1519-1521

Cuba

Francis Drake

1577-1580

England

Sieur de La Salle

1682

Canada

Lewis and Clark

1803-1805

St. Louis, Missouri

David Livingstone

Nov. 17, 1840

Scotland

Sir William Edward Parry

1819

England (?)

Robert Edwin Peary

1909

New York City

Roald Amundsen

1903 (Northwest Passage); 1910-11

(South Pole)

norway?

Rear AdmiralRichard E. Byrd, 1928-47

Jr.
(four expeditions)

Sally Ride

1983

Earth

Edward H. White, II

3-Jun-65

Earth

Sailed To

Purpose

Vinland

Curious of the new land

China

to buy and sell

in theBahamas archipelago

to sail west to India

India

to find a trading route and avoid the

Middle East/Muslim areas

Around the earth.

a westward voyage around the tip of

South America would take them to the
Moluccas (spice-rich islands) and avoid
the Portuguese (with whom they were
competing fiercely)

Yucatan Peninsula

led an expedition that caused thefall of

the Aztec Empireand brought large
portions of mainlandMexicounder the
rule of theKing of Castilein the early
16th century.

Around the bottom of South America,

up the Pacific Coast to what is now San
Franciso, across the Pacific Ocean.

privateering, raiding Spanish ships &

settlements

down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of explore and establish fur-trade routes
Mexico
along the river

Oregon coast

an expedition of the lands west of the

Mississippi River; to gather information
about the plants, animals, and peoples
of the region

Africa

to be a missionary

through the Parry Channel; almost to

the North Pole (1827)

quest for theNorthwest Passage

the North Pole.

he became obsessed with the idea of

reaching the North Pole.

the South Pole

He was in a race with British explorer

Robert Scott to be the first to the South
Pole.

Antarctic

mapping, land-claiming, and scientific

expedition,

space

helped deploy satellites and worked

other projects.

space

exploration

Outcome

Affect on Map Making

They found the eastern coast of Canada and

named it Vinland.

Lief made maps that his brother followed to

the new land.

that books about him were written

his description of places he visited were

helpful to future travelers

instead, he arrived in what is now called

America

Sailed across the open ocean with no map,

only navigating by the stars

found a water route to India; conflict with

Muslim traders (& many killings); not great
relations with India (defied Indian laws/taxes
& captured hostages)

route to India

was the first sea explorer to circumnavigate

around the globe and prove that the Earth
named the Pacific ocean; first European to
was a sphere, rather than a flat piece of land. navigate the strait in 1520

Mexico claimed for Spain; Aztec Empire wiped

out
not a whole lot

explored islands in the Pacific

named the entire Mississippi basin Louisiana,

in honor of the King, and claimed it for France
on April 9, 1682
collected samples of plants and animals he
encountered; His work inspired many others
to follow in his footsteps and created great
interest in the region. Lewis also advanced
scientific knowledge. Through his careful
work numerous discoveries of previously
unknown plants and animals were made.

many souls saved; discovered Victoria Falls

He ranks among the great navigators for
penetrating the Arctic Archipelago, for
showing how ships can survive and men work
through an arctic winter, and for achieving a
furthest north unsurpassed for 50 years. He
contributed much to the eventual discovery
of the Northwest Passage and the North Pole.

Peary finally succeeded in reaching itor at

least he claimed to have Peary finally
succeeded in reaching itor at least he
claimed to have.

first to discover the Northwest Passage

mapped 537,000 square miles (1,390,000

square km) along the Antarctic coast.

mapped 537,000 square miles (1,390,000

square km) along the Antarctic coast.

scientific knowledge

NO!

NO!

Affect on History

People were warmer. They could live better

because it was warmer.

gave us information about China; spread to

Europe the wisdom and inventions of the
Chinese

Inspired others to sail west

trade and relations with the East

discovered the Spice Islands, also known as

the East Indies; Magellanic clouds; Magellanic
penguins

wiped out a whole people; bringing

Christianity to Mexico

hindered Spanish ships & settlements;

allowed England to become more powerful

first European to travel the length of the

Mississippi River

First man to visit the South Pole

the first American woman in space aboard

the space shuttle Challenger

he became the first American to"walk" in space