Explorers of North America Reading Passage Questions

What were some reasons European explorers came to North America?

• To find new places to live

• To make friends with Native Americans

• To find new trade routes and get rich

Who was the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean by crossing Panama?

• Christopher Columbus

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa

• John Cabot

Which explorer sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492?

• Jacques Cartier

• Hernando de Soto

• Christopher Columbus

Who explored the Hudson River and Hudson Bay?

• Henry Hudson

• Jacques Cartier

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa

Which explorer claimed parts of Canada for France?

• John Cabot

• Christopher Columbus

• Jacques Cartier