Age of Exploration
Who were the explorers?
Goal:
Goal:
The Age of Exploration is a period in history when many explorers sailed long distances to find new places. For a long time, maps made in Europe didn't have North America and South America on them. Europeans had never been to these places.
Why did explorers travel far distances to unknown places? The top three reasons were gold, trade, and land. The Age of Exploration lasted from about 1500 to about 1700. Let's learn about a few of the explorers who traveled to different parts of the world.
Click through the timeline below to learn some important dates and explorers.
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1488
Henry the Navigator
The Age of Exploration began in the nation of Portugal under the leadership of Henry the Navigator. In 1488, Henry sent out ships to map and explore the west coast of Africa. Henry’s explorers went further south than any previous European expedition. They mapped much of western Africa for the Portuguese.
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1492
Christopher Columbus
An Italian explorer named Christopher Columbus sailed the oceans to find a fast way to India. He was in search of spices to make food taste better. He had three ships called the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.
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1497
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama was another explorer from Portugal. In 1497, he led the first expedition that traveled from Europe to India by sailing around Africa. When he returned home, he was a hero. He had found a much-needed trade route to India.
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1513
Juan Ponce de León
A Spanish explorer named Juan Ponce de León set sail to find new land. He did find it. He named the new land Florida. We still call it that today. As legend has it, he was looking for the Fountain of Youth, but never found it.
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1542
Hernando de Soto
Another Spanish explorer named Hernando de Soto explored what is now Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. He became the first European to cross the Mississippi River. Can you find the Mississippi River on the map?
Question:
When did the Age of Exploration begin?
The Age of Exploration began in 1488.