http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/namerica.shtml
Roald Amundsen (1872-1928
Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) was a Norwegian polar explorer who was the first person to fly over the
North Pole in a dirigible (May 11-13, 1926) and was the first person to reach the South Pole. Amundsen
and his small expedition reached the South Pole on December 14, 1911, traveling by dog sled.
Amundsen was also the first person to sail around the world through the Northeast and Northwest
passages, from the Atlantic to the Pacific (in 1905). He was the first person to reach both the North and
South Poles. Amundsen died in a plane crash attempting to rescue his friend, the Italian explorer
Umberto Nobile who was lost in an airship.
BOONE, DANIEL
Colonel Daniel Boone (1734-1820) was an American pioneer, soldier, and explorer; he was born near
Reading, Pennsylvania. Boone founded the first US settlement west of the Appalachian mountains.
A frontiersman and folk hero, Boone explored the Kentucky wilderness from 1769 to 1782. He
traveled down the Ohio River, and trapped furs in the Green and Cumberland Valleys.
CABEZA DE VACA, ALVAR NUNEZ
Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca [Cabeza de Vaca means "head of a cow"] (1490?-1557?) was a
Spanish explorer who sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in 1527. He traveled from
Florida to Texas on a raft, then walked from Texas to Mexico City. He also explored the
Paraguay River in South America. De Vaca and his fellow travelers were the first Europeans to
see the bison, or American buffalo.
CABOT, JOHN
John Cabot (1450-1499) was an Italian-born English explorer and navigator. In Italy, he is
known as Giovanni Caboto (which is his original name).
CARSON, KIT
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson (Dec. 24, 1809 - May 23, 1868) was an American explorer,
guide, fur trapper, Indian agent, rancher, and soldier, who traveled through the southwestern and
western USA.
COOK, JAMES
James Cook (October 27, 1728- February 14, 1779) was a British explorer and astronomer who
went on many expeditions to the Pacific Ocean, Antarctic, Arctic, and around the world.
CORONADO, FRANCISCO VASQUEZ DE
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado (1510-1554) was a Spanish ruler, explorer and conquistador. He
was the first European to explore North America's Southwest.
DE AVILES, PEDRO MENENDEZ
Captain Pedro Menendez de Aviles (Feb. 15, 1519-Sept. 17, 1574) was a brutal Spanish sailor,
soldier, explorer, and conquistador. The King of Spain sent Aviles to Florida in the New World,
to start a Spanish settlement (St. Augustine, in northeastern Florida), and to decimate a nearby
French settlement (Fort Caroline).
DE LA SALLE, ROBERT
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643-1687) was a French explorer. He was sent by King Louis XIV
(14) to travel south from Canada and sail down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. He was the
first European to travel the length of the Mississippi River (1682). His mission was to explore and
establish fur-trade routes along the river. La Salle named the entire Mississippi basin Louisiana, in honor
of the King, and claimed it for France on April 9, 1682. He also explored Lake Michigan (1679), Lake
Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. He tried to start a settlement in the southern Mississippi River
Valley, but the venture ended in disaster.
DE LEON, PONCE
Juan Ponce de Leon (1460?-1521) was a Spanish explorer and soldier who was the first
European to set foot in Florida. He also established the oldest European settlement in Puerto
Rico and discovered the Gulf Stream (a current in the Atlantic Ocean). Ponce de Leon was
searching for the legendary fountain of youth and other riches.
DE SOTO, HERNANDO
Hernando De Soto (1500?-1542) was a Spanish explorer who sailed the Atlantic Ocean and was
the first European to explore Florida and the southeastern US.
HUDSON, HENRY
Henry Hudson (1565-1611) was an English explorer and navigator who explored parts of the
Arctic Ocean and northeastern North America. The Hudson River, Hudson Strait, and Hudson
Bay are named for Hudson.
LEWIS AND CLARK
Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) and William Clark (1770-1838) set out in May 1804 to explore
and map the American West. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition to
explore the newly-bought Louisiana Territory. Lewis and Clark were accompanied by a crew of
men, and later, the Shoshone Indian guide and interpreter Sacagawea and her infant son. Lewis
and Clark travelled by river and by land from St. Louis, Missouri, to the Oregon coast (Fort
Clatsop), and back again. Their journey took 2 years, 4 months, and 10 days; they covered over
8,000 miles.
PEARY, ROBERT E.
Robert Edwin Peary (May 6, 1856 - Feb. 20, 1920) was an American explorer and Naval officer who led
the first expedition to the North Pole. In 1909, Peary, Matthew A. Henson, and four Eskimos were the
first people to reach the North Pole.
RALEIGH, WALTER
Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618) was a British explorer, poet, historian, and soldier. Raleigh led
expeditions to both North America and South America; he was trying to found new settlements, find
gold, and increase trade with the New World. In 1585, Raleigh sent colonists to the east coast of North
America; Raleigh later named that area Virginia, in honour of Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen. He is often
credited with bringing tobacco and potatoes from the New World to Britain, but they were already
known there. Raleigh was later executed by King James I for treason.
SMITH, JOHN
John Smith (January 9, 1580 - June, 1631) was an English adventurer and soldier, and one of the
founders and leaders of the Jamestown, Virginia, settlement. Smith also led expeditions
exploring Chesapeake Bay and the New England coast.
Smith was one of 105 settlers who sailed from England on December 19, 1606, and landed in
Virginia on April 26, 1607. When they reached North America, the group opened sealed
instructions and found that Smith was chosen as one of the seven leaders of the new colony
VANCOUVER, GEORGE
Captain George Vancouver (1758-1798) was an English explorer and navigator who sailed to the
northwest coast of North America. His two ships, "Discovery" and "Chatham," reached the Strait of Juan
de Fuca (near what is now the US-Canadian border) in May, 1792. He then sailed to Puget Sound (near
what is now Seattle); Vancouver named Puget Sound (he named it for Lieutenant Peter Puget who was
sailing under Captain Vancouver on the ship "Discovery"). Vancouver also named Mt. Rainier, Whidbey
Island, and the Hood Canal. The expedition then sailed north, discovering what is now called Vancouver
Island, and then sailing around it. Vancouver Island and the city of Vancouver are named for him.
Vancouver had previously served under Captain James Cook on his second and third voyages sailing
around the world.
VESPUCCI, AMERIGO
Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) was an Italian explorer who was the first person to realize that
the Americas were separate from the continent of Asia. America was named for him in 1507,
when the German mapmaker Martin Waldseemüller, printed the first map that used the name
America for the New World.
On his first expedition (sailing for Spain, 1499-1500), Vespucci was the navigator under under
the command of Alonso de Ojeda. On this trip, Ojeda and Vespucci discovered the mouth of the
Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America, thinking it was part of Asia. On his second
expedition (sailing for Portugal, 1501-02) he mapped some of the eastern coast of South
America, and came to realize that it not part of Asia, but a New World.