Eric the Red

1
Early Explorers 1000-1500
2
Eric the Red

• Eric the Red (950-1004) was born in
• Norway but his family settled in Iceland.
• was a Viking explorer who was the first
• European in Greenland.
• sailed from Iceland in 982 and led a
• group of colonists to Greenland in 986.

3
Leif Eriksson

• Leif Eriksson (975-1020) was born in Iceland.
• was a leader of Viking expeditions and may have
  been the first European to reach North America.
• is the son of Eric the Red.

4
Marco Polo

• Marco Polo (1254-1324) was born in
• Venice, Italy.
• was famous for his travels through Asia.
• was one of the 1st Europeans to travel into
  Mongolia and China.
• was famous for his book that told of his travels
  to China.
• people gathered to hear the stories of his
  travels.

5
John Cabot

• John Cabot (1450-1499) was born in Genoa, Italy
  but moved to Venice where he learned to sail.
• wealthy Englishmen paid for him to lead a
  westward expedition at Asia
• 1st voyage ship was the Matthew, crew of 18
  men.
• sailed to North America searching for a
  Northwest Passage to the Orient.
• secured a large part of North America for England
  

6
Christopher Columbus

• Columbus (1451-1506) was born in Genoa, Itlay.
• made several voyages to the New World, which he
  thought was Asia.
• his ships were the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
• October 12, 1492,landed on a small island in the
  Caribbean Sea.
• 2nd voyage he explored Cuba, Jamaica and Puerto
  Rico.
• was not the 1st European to find North America
  Vikings had come hundreds of years earlier.

7
Amerigo Vespucci

• Vespucci (1454-1512) was born in Florence, Itlay.
• well educated by his uncle, became businessman
  involved in trading goods.
• became familiar with ships and helped Columbus
  get ships ready for his second and third voyages.
• several voyages to Central and South America for
  Spain and Portugal.
• pamphlet was published called The 4 voyages of
  Amerigo. America named in his honor.

8
Vasco da Gama

• Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) was a gentlemen at the
  court when he was chosen to lead an expedition to
  India.
• opened the sea route to India by way of the Cape
  of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.
• had a hard voyage, but made it back
  successfully.
• brave and a good leader.