Explorers

Explorer- a person who investigates unknown regions.

Who are these people?

Leif Eriksson

• Son of Eric the Red.• Sailed for Scandinavia.• Heard tales of land farther

West than Greenland. • Sailed to North America

around year 1000.• He and his crew were the

first to set foot on our continent, North America.

The Vikings. Very Good Job!

Eric the Red

• Eric the Red was a Viking from Scandinavia who sailed to Iceland.

• He was forced to leave his home and forced to leave Iceland as well.

• He sailed west and found Greenland.

• He had a son named Leif Eriksson.

“Explorer” TableExplorer Year of

ExplorationCountry Sailed

ForPlanned Destination Importance of Exploration

Leif Eriksson 1000 Scandinavia

“Viking Explorer” Game Time

Materials

• 6 game pieces• 1 game board• 1 die• 1 sheet of paper

Directions

1. Decide who will roll first. The person with the earliest birthday will roll first, then turns will continue around the circle.

2. As you play, remember what happens to you during your voyage. You will write about it later!!!!!

3. You may take notes to remember.

4. Have Fun!

Christopher Columbus• Italian-born explorer.• The king and queen of

Spain let him use three ships to sail: – The Nina – The Pinta – The Santa Maria.

• He sailed for Spain in search of a western water route to Asia.

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.

Christopher Columbus

• When he reached land, he thought he was in India and named the land the West Indies.

• Instead, he found the Americas.

Venn Diagram

Eriksson ColumbusBoth

More on Columbus

• Led 3 more expeditions to the Americas.• 2nd trip in 1493- Columbus took 17 ships

loaded with settlers, animals and supplies.• His goal was to start a colony.• A colony is a settlement far from the

country that rules it.

The Columbian Exchange

• The movement of people, animals, plants, diseases and ways of life between the

Eastern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere.

John Cabot

• Born in Italy.• Sailed for England in 1497

on 1 boat named “Matthew.”

• Searched for a seaway to Asia and China known as the “Northwest Passage.”

• Landed in Newfoundland which is now Canada.

Explorer Year Country Planned Destination

Importance of Exploration

Leif Eriksson 1000 Scandinavia Land farther west than

Greenland.

Landed in North America.

Christopher Columbus

1492 Spain A western route to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

Landed in North America.

John Cabot 1497 England Seaway to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

Found Newfoundland and modern-day Canada. Found waters filled with fish.

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan• Portuguese explorer.• Sailed for Spain in 1519.• Planned to sail west

around South America for the Spice Islands.

• First explorer to circumnavigate (sail around) the world.

Ferdinand Magellan

• Traveled with 5 ships named: Santiago, San Antonio, Conception, Trinidad, and the Victoria.

• In 1522 The Victoria was the only ship to return home with 19 crew members.

• Known for naming the Pacific Ocean. • Magellan died while fighting natives in the

Philippines.

Explorer Year Country Planned Destination

Importance of Exploration

Leif Eriksson 1000 Scandinavia Land farther west than Greenland.

Landed in North America.

Christopher Columbus

1492 Spain A western route to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

Landed in North America.

John Cabot 1497 England Seaway to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

•Found Newfoundland and modern-day Canada. •Found waters filled with fish.

Ferdinand Magellan

1519 Spain To sail west around South America to find the Spice Islands.

•Led the first expedition around the world. •First person to circumnavigate (sail around) the world .•Named the “Pacific Ocean.”

SHIPS

What is happening?

Take 5 minutes to write down a few ideas and/or observations.

Hernando de Soto• Sailed to America in 1539

from Spain. • Spanish conquistador. • Landed on the coast of

Florida.

Hernando de Soto• Searched

America for gold for 4 years.

• Sailed to North America on 9 ships total with over 600 crew members and 500 animals.

Exploration Timeline

• 1539-1540: Florida• 1540: Georgia, SC, NC, Tennessee,

Alabama and Mississippi• 1541: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and

Texas• Overall exploration was a failure because

they did not find gold.

Henry Hudson

• English explorer. • Sailed for the Netherlands

and England. • Took 4 voyages between

1607-1610. • He landed in what is now

New York. He claimed NY for the Dutch and Canada for the English.

Henry Hudson

• The Hudson River and Hudson Bay are named after this explorer.

• He was the first explorer to sail up the Hudson River.

Robert LaSalle

• Explored for France in 1682.

• Planned to sail to the Mississippi River to explore and establish trade routes along the river.

Robert LaSalle• First European to

sail down the entire Mississippi River.

• Named the area he landed in Louisiana.

Explorer Year Country Planned Destination Importance of Exploration

Leif Eriksson 1000 Scandinavia Land farther west than Greenland.

Landed in North America.

Christopher Columbus

1492 Spain A western route to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

Landed in North America.

John Cabot 1497 England Seaway to Asia- “Northwest Passage”

•Found Newfoundland and modern-day Canada. •Found waters filled with fish.

Ferdinand Magellan 1519 Spain To sail west around South America to find the Spice Islands.

•Led the first expedition around the world. •First person to circumnavigate (sail around) the world .•Named the “Pacific Ocean.”

Hernando de Soto 1539 Spain • Americas• Land with gold

•Landed in Florida•Discovered Mississippi River

Henry Hudson 1607 Netherlands and England

“Northwest Passage”

•First European to sail up the Hudson River

Robert LaSalle

1681 France • Mississippi River

• To explore fur a trade route along the river.

•First explorer to sail the entire Mississippi River.•Named Louisiana.