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Amerigo Vespucci, the presumed namesake of the continents of North America and South America, is a controversial figure in the history of European exploration. The number of voyages he took to the New World is in dispute, but among his accomplishments, he found a rough method of calculating longitude, made notes on the indigenous peoples he encountered, and published theories proving that Columbus had not landed in India. This volume separates the...
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The true legacy of Christopher Columbus is much more complex than the familiar myth of him as the celebrated founder of the New World. On his voyages to islands in the Caribbean, he killed and enslaved many native people and was even arrested in Spain for his tyrannical governance of the lands he still believed to be the Indies. This resource takes a critical look at Columbus's actions, their implications for colonization and cross-cultural exchange,...
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This ruthless conquistador who toppled the Inca Empire came from humble origins. The illegitimate son of a soldier, Pizarro made his way to the New World to make his fortune. He took part in expeditions led by Alonso de Ojeda and Vasco Núñez de Balboa, before partnering up with Diego de Almagro and Hernando de Luque to lead an expedition of his own. The story of Pizarro's strategically brilliant, if ethically problematic, conquest of the Inca will...
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In a pattern anyone familiar with the European explorers of the 1500s will recognize, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado set out in search of land and treasure. Following in the footsteps of Hernán Cortés, Coronado set out for the New World in hopes of claiming land and wealth for Spain. Readers will get caught up in the fantastic and dangerous journeys of the Coronado expedition from Mexico to Kansas as they sought in vain for the mythical seven cities...
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The well-educated son of an Italian family, Verrazzano settled in Dieppe, France, as a young man. This explains why his historic explorations of the coast of eastern North America were undertaken in the name of the French king. During his 1524 journey, Verrazzano recorded a detailed account of the places he visited, one that would prove a key source of information about North America. Readers will also learn about Verrazzano's later journey to Brazil...
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The river in New York State and the Canadian bay both bear Henry Hudson's name. During the 16th century, this English mariner sailed one important voyage after another. This guide covers his quest for the Northwest Passage, his time in the Arctic, his voyage down the East Coast of North America into present-day New York, and his exploration of Canada's Hudson Bay. Learn how he made contact with Native Americans, suffered from terrible disease, and...
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In the 1500s, Hernando de Soto traveled throughout Central America and Peru, as well as the southeastern areas of the United States, in search of treasures and land for Spain. Although he may have had Spain's best interests at heart, de Soto and his expedition left a deadly trail of disease in their wake. De Soto would never find the rumored riches he sought. But he did discover the Mississippi River. Labeled the brashest of all conquistadors by the...
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In the summer of 1535, France's king Francis I sent explorer Jacques Cartier to the New World to search for the Northwest Passage that would lead from China and the East. It was hoped he would also return with ships brimming with riches and gold for the country. Alas, Cartier found neither the elusive passage nor a bounty of riches, but he did find the St. Lawrence River. Readers will learn about the details of Cartier's extensive travels, his encounters...
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In the 18th century the explorer and mariner James Cook made his way to the American colonies to fight for the British in the French and Indian War. In the New World he would earn fame as a courageous sea captain, talented mapmaker, astronomer of Venus, and seeker of the Northwest Passage. This fascinating account details his voyage around Antarctica and his accomplishment as the first accurate mapmaker of the Pacific Ocean. This guide will introduce...
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Italian explorer John Cabot sailed to the New World under the flag of England in 1496. His travels through Canada are sketchy due to his flimsy record log and his disappearance during his third voyage. Despite never finding the riches or the Northwest Passage he sought, Cabot's discoveries led the charge for the English colonization of North America. This resource examines Cabot's early life, his appeals to European monarchs to fund an expedition,...
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While he is now primarily associated with the quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth, Ponce de León was not merely involved in this fruitless search. A powerful figure in the Caribbean, he became the first governor of Puerto Rico. He led the first European expedition to Florida and was responsible for giving the state its name. The title discusses Ponce de León's treatment of Native Americans and the issues with crediting him with the "discovery"...
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When Thomas Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, he needed a team to survey that vast, unknown expanse of land. He chose Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Together, they led the Corps of Discovery, a team of intrepid explorers across a wild, dangerous country. Readers will understand the impact Lewis and Clark's expedition had on American history in this detailed account. Follow their journey across roaring rivers, vast plains, and...
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Pedro Álvares Cabral sailed around the world for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. His efforts led to a treaty opening the spice trade with India, but also years of war between his men and the kingdom of Calicut. Along the way he also discovered Brazil, perhaps by accident, opening the door for centuries of Portuguese colonization there. This biography dives into Cabral's background, his exploration assignments, and the impact-both positive...
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Samuel de Champlain was one of the most colorful explorers of the 16th century. A master mariner, he had other occupations, too: spy, soldier, diplomat, writer, and artist. His explorations in the New World, though, made him famous for the ages. This detailed, easy-to-read biography gives readers a look at a man who served as the Geographer to the French king, an expert on Native Americans, a skilled mapmaker, the founder of Quebec City, and the father...
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Explorer Sir Francis Drake is renowned for being the first Englishman to sail completely around the world. His adventures set England on a course for successfully sailing the seas, but like most explorers, his adventures were full of successes and failures alike. In this engrossing book, readers will become completely captivated by the secrecy and intrigue associated with Drake's agreements with England's Queen Elizabeth. The drama of his defeat of...
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The conquistador Balboa is best known for having led the first party of explorers of European descent to reach the Pacific by traveling overland from the Atlantic. An ambitious man from a noble but relatively impoverished family, Balboa was eager to make a name and fortune for himself in the New World. His initiative and take-charge attitude helped him rise to power but also made him powerful enemies who, in the long run, orchestrated his trial and...
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The late fifteenth century was alive with dreams of world exploration. As the first Portuguese adventurer to sail from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, Bartolomeu Dias was one of the most important. His voyage around the tip of Africa, past the Cape of Good Hope, paved the way for future explorers such as Vasco da Gama and Columbus. Follow along with Bartolomeu as he battles huge storms, rough seas, dwindling supplies, and even a near mutiny...
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In 1325, a young Muslim man named Ibn Battuta set out on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca. It would be nearly thirty years before he returned home. Ibn Battuta was a fourteenth-century pilgrim, traveler, scholar, and writer. He walked, sailed, and rode some seventy-five thousand miles across the medieval Muslim world, covering the equivalent of forty-four modern-day countries. This volume details the fascinating cultures Battuta experienced: the people...
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For many, his name brings to mind both the glory and terrible danger of exploration: Marco Polo. Come along as this informative and engaging book describes Marco's travels from his native Italy past many obstacles, to the farthest reaches of Asia and back home again. Experience the incredible cold of the mountains of Pakistan, the intense heat of the Taklimakan Desert, and the wonders in between. Meet people like the fabled Kublai Khan, lord of the...
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In 1405, the Chinese emperor sent the world's largest fleet of ships to explore the "Western Oceans." Zheng He was at the helm of the expedition, a man who rose from poverty to captain China's famous Treasure Fleet on an adventure covering more than thirty-five thousand miles. Little known in the West, Zheng He was one of history's most important explorers. This guide will take readers on a journey from Nanjing all the way to Africa and the Middle...
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