Explorers

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Explorers

• The age of Exploration, Greed, Tyrants and Power

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Leif Erickson
Born in Iceland, Leif Erickson was the son of
Eric the Red. After being baptized in Norway at
age 20, he went back to Greenland, to his fathers
settlement to preach. In 1000 A.D. he decided to
start on an expedition south to explore new
territory. He discovered a place called Helluland
(Newfoundland). Then in 1001 A.D. he went home to
check on the settlement. A few months later he
set out again to colonize Helluland. They were
blow off course by a storm and instead found
Vinland (location unknown). They left in 1002
A.D. never to return, some think because of
hostile natives. In 1963 a settlement from Viking
times was discovered on Newfoundland. This is
said to be Helluland.
EXPLORERS
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Marco Polo
In 1271, a caravan left Venice. This caravan of
2000 missionaries and hundreds of dollars in
goods, was led by 17 year old Marco Polo, his
father and his uncle. They were on their way to
China, on a diplomatic mission to bring back
missionaries. The missionaries soon abandoned the
caravan because of dangerous conditions. But the
Polos continued, and a few months later reached
China. For 17 years the Polos were in China,
entertaining and working for Kublai Khan, who was
quite fond of Marco. When he returned to Venice
he earned the nickname Marco Millions, because
the stories he told. He then joined the army and
was a prisoner of war for several years. He died
shortly after being released from prison in 1324.
EXPLORERS
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Amerigo Vespucci
Born in Florence, Italy, Amerigo Vespucci was a
natural wonderer. His first job was as a
merchant, supplying things to the West Indies. He
believed that Columbus had not discovered a new
route to Asia, but a new continent. He went on
four voyages down the coast of North and South
America. He came to the conclusion that it was
indeed a new continent. Cartographer Martin
Waldseemuller agreed and named the continent
America for Amerigo Vespucci.
EXPLORERS
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Balboa
Balboa was born in los Caberilos, Spain. In 1501,
he sailed to Hispaniola and bought a plantation.
9 years later the plantation failed. Balboa moved
to a new settlement on the Isthmus of Panama,
called Darien. In 1513, to find favor with the
King of Spain, he went on an expedition to find
what was beyond Darien. He found the Pacific
Ocean, and claimed it for Spain. On his way back
to Darien, his fellow explorer Fernando Pizarro
was ordered to capture Balboa. After sailing back
to Spain, in chains, the King of Spain tried him
for treason. He was found guilty and falsely
beheaded in 1519. He was really innocent of all
charges.
EXPLORERS
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Magellan
The son of Portuguese nobles, Magellan grew up in
style. He was a court page and in 1505 went to
the East Indies with the Kings viceroy. He
returned home in 1513 and joined the army. During
a battle with the Moors he was wounded and got a
permanent limp. Sponsored and encouraged by King
Charles I, left September 20, 1519. He went
around the tip of South America through the
Strait of Magellan. Seeing the peacefulness of
the sea, he called it the Pacific (calm waters).
After entering the Pacific Ocean the food supply
ran short. Men began dying of scurvy. Then in
April they reached the Philippines. Magellan was
killed in a battle with natives on April 27,1521.
His boat, the Victoria, made it all the way back
to Portugal, making it the first boat to
circumnavigate the earth.
EXPLORERS
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Cortez
Cortez was born in Medellin, Extremadura. He
studied law as a teenager, and in 1504 sailed to
the Dominican Republic. In 1511 he joined the
conquest of Cuba. The blood that he saw
everywhere delighted him, and he became a
bloodthirsty tyrant who had a passion for
killing. When he heard of the Aztecs and their
gold, he wanted the gold for himself. He almost
attacked the Aztecs but before he could they
invited him into the city, thinking he was a
God-King from the east. After he took an ax and
cut their emperor, Montezuma, into 17 pieces, the
people realized he was trying to overtake them.
There was a great battle but finally on June 30,
1520 they chased him out of the city. But soon
Cortez came back with 20,000 troops, destroyed
the city and slaughtered its people. He then
built Mexico City on the spot.
EXPLORERS
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Pizarro
Pizarro was born in Trujillo, Spain. He was
raised in poverty, and never learned to read or
write. He served under Balboa in 1513 and then in
1519 he was the one who arrested and personally
beheaded Balboa. After living quietly for several
years, in 1532 he stormed the Incan empire killed
all of its leaders and used a segora, a execution
device where a victim was laid on their back and
each of there limbs and last the head were cut of
one by one, while they were being stabbed in the
stomach constantly, on their emperor. Then he
made slaves out of the natives. Then in 1535 he
founded Lima. In 1541 he was killed by native
rebels.
EXPLORERS
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Ponce de Leon
Ponce de Leon was born in San Servos, Leon. In
1493 he accompanied Columbus on his 2nd voyage.
He then decided to search for Bimini, the
fountain of youth. He discovered Florida on March
27, 1512. It was Easter Sunday, which is why he
named it Florida, meaning flowering Easter.
During the years of 1515 to 1521 he remained in
Florida fighting rebellious natives. In late 1521
to early 1522 he began his expedition to colonize
Florida. There was a great battle with natives
after the landing and Ponce de Leon was wounded.
He died shortly after of a infection of the
wound.
EXPLORERS
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Coronado
Francisco Coronado was born in Salamanca, Spain.
In 1535 he went to North America. Then in 1538 he
became governor of Nueva Galicia in Mexico. He
was very greedy and when he heard of the 7 cities
of gold in Cibola, an unexplored region of the
United States. He started an expedition with over
1,300 people to colonize it. In the course of 8
years he found nothing and killed hundreds of
natives for revenge. He spent the winter in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. He returned home in
1541, and was charged with torture of Natives
with over 100 witnesses. He was cleared of all
charges. He lived the rest of his life in leisure
and died in 1554.
EXPLORERS
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de Soto
de Soto was born in Barcarrota, Spain. During the
years 1519-1530 he explored a vast region of
Mexico. In 1530 he joined Pizarro in Peru. In
1537 he was made governor of Florida by King
Charles V. He colonized Florida, and then, driven
to find gold, he decided to colonize whatever
land he could find in the name of Spain. He
reached the Mississippi River in 1541. He was a
tyrant, like many other explorers. He burned
natives villages if they would not give 20 of
their women to be slaves, and one to return to
the king as his private property. He died of a
fever on May 21, 1542. His body was thrown into
the river so the natives wouldnt know that he
wasnt immortal, as he boasted.
EXPLORERS
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Diaz
Born in a rural community in Portugal,
Bartholomew Diaz probably didnt have a very good
childhood. He visited Prince Henrys school and
decided he wanted to study there. Prince Henry
died while he was in school, making him want to
sail even more. In 1587 King John II of Portugal
made him the head of an expedition to explore the
coast of Africa. He also wanted Diaz to find the
trade route to Asia. He sailed all the way to the
tip of Africa, which we now call the Cape of Good
Hope. He also opened the trade route to Asia. He
returned home from his adventures in 1588. He
died in a storm off the Cape of Good Hope, on his
second voyage a year later.
EXPLORERS
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de Gama
de Gama was born in Lines, Portugal. In1497 King
John II ordered the building of a massive fleet,
and de Gama, who had been to school at Prince
Henrys school of navigation, was to be its
captain. They departed from Lisbon in July. They
sailed down the coast of Africa over the course
of a few months, and in November, they rounded
the Cape of Good Hope. Once they reached the
Indian ocean, they were constantly being pursued
by evil Muslims, who didnt want them to be able
to trade. In May 1498, they reached India, only
to be rejected by the local kings, who were
Muslims. One kind King gave him spices to bring
back home. He quickened his pace for the journey
back, and in 1499 they returned to Portugal.
Vasco de Gama became a very rich man and died in
1524.
EXPLORERS
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Cabot
John Cabot was born in Genoa, Italy. In 1493 he
began plans to follow Columbus and sail to Cathay
(China). Henry VII, King of England, sponsored
the voyage. They set sail on May 2nd, 1497. He
sailed along Labrador, Newfoundland, and the New
England coastline. He believed hed reached Asia,
and then went home to brag about it. He planned a
second voyage, but it failed. He returned home n
1498 and died soon after.
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Henry the Navigator
Prince Henry was born in Oporto, Portugal. He was
third son of King John I of Portugal. He
established the first school of exploration. He
never went on a voyage himself, and his nickname
was the Explorer Who Stayed at Home. He died in
1460 while his first expedition was under way.
EXPLORERS
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Behaim
Behaim was born in Nurnberg, Germany. He gained a
reputation as a cartographer (a mapmaker) as a
teenager. He also developed the astrolabe, an
important sailing tool that tells your position,
and other such devices used by navigators. Hes
best known for his terrestrial globe made in 1492.
EXPLORERS