Explorers

Chinese explorer and commander of huge treasure ships. Brough great wealth to the Ming Dynasty

• Zheng He

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes

Portuguese explorer who was the first European to sail from Europe to Africa (sailed around the southern tip of Africa)

• Zheng He

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes

Italian explorer who sailed for Spain

• Zheng He

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes

Spanish conquistador who made alliances with indigenous groups to defeat the Aztec Empire.

• Zheng He

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes

French explorer who claimed Canada for France (sailed and mapped the St. Lawrence River)

• Francis Drake

• Samuel De Champlain

• Francisco Pizarro

• Jacques Cartier

Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incan Empire

• Francis Drake

• Samuel De Champlain

• Francisco Pizarro

• Jacques Cartier

English sea captain who helped defeat the Spanish Armada and first English explorer to sail around the world.

• Francis Drake

• Samuel De Champlain

• Francisco Pizarro

• Jacques Cartier

French explorer who was the first European to explore and describe the Great Lakes.

• Francis Drake

• Samuel De Champlain

• Francisco Pizarro

• Jacques Cartier

Spanish conquistador who led the first European expedition into Florida and was obssessed with finding a "fountain of youth".

• Ponce De Leon

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes

Portuguese explorer who died during his trip to circumnavigate the world.

• Ponce De Leon

• Ferdinand Magellan

• Vasco Da Gama

• Hernan Cortes