Explorers

By Jennifer Koch

John Cabot

1450-1498

John Cabot discovered Newfoundland. This was the basis for

England’s claim in the New World.

Jacques de Cartier

December 31st

1491-September 1st

1557

Jacques de Cartier discovered Canada and St. Lawrence. He

made a total of 3 trips to Canada.

Samuel de Champlain

August 13th

1574-December 25th

1635

Samuel de Champlain is responsible for founding Quebec City,

Canada. Champlain had followed Cartier’s original path in his own

voyage.

Christopher Columbus

October 31st

1451-May 20th

1506

Christopher Columbus discovered the Bahamas. He made a

total of 3 voyages to the Americas.

Hernan Cortes

1485-December 2nd

1547

Hernan Cortes is responsible for discovering Mexico, the Aztec

Empire, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. He is also responsible

for conquering the Aztec Empire.

Leif Eriksson

970-1020

Leif Eriksson is responsible for being the first European to land

in North America. He is the son of Erik the Red.

Juan Ponce de Leon

1474-1521

Juan Ponce de Leon is responsible for discovering Florida and

Puerto Rico. He was also the governor of what is now San Juan,

Puerto Rico.

Ferdinand Magellan

1480-April 27th

1521

Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to circumnavigate the

world. Magellan and his crew are the first known Europeans to

see the Pacific Ocean.

Sir Walter Raleigh

January 22nd

1552-October 29th

1618

Sir Walter Raleigh is responsible for discovering North Carolina

and Virginia. He helped introduce the potato plant and tobacco

use to England and Ireland. Raleigh also named the region from

North Carolina to Florida Virginia and sent colonists to Roanoke.

Erik the Red

950-1003

Erik the Red is responsible for discovering Greenland. He was

a Viking from Scandinavia.

Amerigo Vespucci

March 9th

1454-February 22nd

1512

Amerigo Vespucci is responsible for discovering North and

South America. His first name, Amerigo, is where the word

“America” comes from.

This book was created using the 2012 PA standards for 7th grade World history.

The purpose of this book is to allow students of all abilities to participate in the

history unit on Explorers. Research was done to find bibliographic information

about the people mentioned.

Strategies:

1. Print each page, single sided, on index stock paper and bind with a

plastic rib which will allow you to flip pages easily.

2. The teacher can read the story to the student or the student can read

the book with a partner.

You can make copies of this book however; we ask that you credit both the

author and PSEA when using this book.