explorers of america

5 10 15 20 25 30 EXPLORERS OF AMERICA For many years people believed that Europeans were the first to travel to America and that it was discovered by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. But, in fact, many travellers had reached America before him. Some historians claim that sailors from China crossed the Pacific to Mexico in AD 460. According to others, although there is not enough evidence, Asians other than the Chinese crossed the Bering Strait to Alaska long before this date and moved through North America on to South America. Irish explorers may also have visited America in the ninth and tenth centuries. Irish people living in Iceland before the Norsemen, who came from Scandinavia. They may have sailed from Iceland to America after the Norsemen arrived in Iceland. However, the fi rst We stern expl orer whose success we ca n be sure about wa s Chri st opher Columbus. He left Spain on August 3, 20 1492, and on Oc tobe r 12th , he ar ri ved in th e Ba ha mas. Columbus thought he had arrived in the Indies, the name then used for Asia. That is why he called the people there Indians. Howeve r, Ame ric a was named aft er anothe r It al ia n expl orer, Amer igo Ve spu cc i, who was a friend of Columbus' and who later explored the coastline of the New World. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was a successful Florentine businessman and navigator who was knowledgeable in geography. It was mainly for these reasons tha t he got inv olved in var ious expeditions at the time, made acquai nta nce of Columbus and was of great help to him. To find answers to the questions raised by Columbus' claims to have reached Asi a by tr avel li ng west, Vespucc i wa s empl oyed by the Spanish and the Portuguese to organise new expeditions. The first of these was in 1499 - 1500, the second in 1501 -1502. Although Columbus is considered the most important explorer of all times, he could not achieve what Vespucci did. Vespucci proved that America was a new continent-and not a part of Asia. For this reason, the continent was named America after him in 1507. A. What do the following refer to? 1. 'others' (line 5): other _______historians______________ 2. They' (line 10): ______________________________________ _ 3. 'who' (line 21): _____ 4. 'at the time' (line 25): __________________________________ 5. 'the second' (line 29): __________________________________

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8/8/2019 Explorers of America

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/explorers-of-america 1/3

EXPLORERS OF AMERICA

For many years people believed that Europeans were the first to travel to

America and that it was discovered by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

But, in fact, many travellers had reached America before him. Some historiansclaim that sailors from China crossed the Pacific to Mexico in AD 460. According

to others, although there is not enough evidence, Asians other than the Chinese

crossed the Bering Strait to Alaska long before this date and moved through North

America on to South America.

Irish explorers may also have visited America in the ninth and tenth centuries.

Irish people living in Iceland before the Norsemen,

who came from Scandinavia. They may have sailed

from Iceland to America after the Norsemen arrived

in Iceland.

However, the first Western explorer whose

success we can be sure about was Christopher

Columbus. He left Spain on August 3, 20 1492, and

on October 12th, he arrived in the Bahamas.

Columbus thought he had arrived in the Indies, the

name then used for Asia. That is why he called the

people there Indians.

However, America was named after another

Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, who was a

friend of Columbus' and who later explored the coastline of the New World.

Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was a successful Florentine businessman and

navigator who was knowledgeable in geography. It was mainly for these reasons

that he got involved in various expeditions at the time, made acquaintance of Columbus and was of great help to him.

To find answers to the questions raised by Columbus' claims to have reached

Asia by travelling west, Vespucci was employed by the Spanish and the

Portuguese to organise new expeditions. The first of these was in 1499 - 1500, the

second in 1501 -1502.

Although Columbus is considered the most important explorer of all times, he

could not achieve what Vespucci did. Vespucci proved that America was a new

continent-and not a part of Asia. For this reason, the continent was named

America after him in 1507.

A. What do the following refer to?

1. 'others' (line 5): other _______historians______________

2. They' (line 10): _______________________________________

3. 'who' (line 21): _______________________________________

4. 'at the time' (line 25): __________________________________

5. 'the second' (line 29): __________________________________

8/8/2019 Explorers of America

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/explorers-of-america 2/3

_ _ _ _ _

B. Mark the statements as True (T) or False (F),1. Europeans travelled through America before AD 460.2. In the ninth century there were Irish people living in Iceland.3. History books say that the Norsemen visited America before the Irish,4. Columbus landed in North America on October 12, 1492.5. In Columbus' day, Asia was called the Indies.

C. Read the questions and write your answers!1. Who were the first people to reach America? Which route did theyfollow?

2. Why was America named after A. Vespucci?

3. Give one reason why Vespucci was involved in the expeditions at histime.

4. How did Vespucci help Columbus?

5. Why were the new expeditions set up by the Spanish and thePortuguese?