History The Age Of Exploration Questions
During the Age of Exploration, American explorers made several major discoveries and achievements. Some of these include:
1. Christopher Columbus: Columbus is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492, opening up a new era of exploration and colonization. His voyages led to the establishment of European colonies in the Americas.
2. Amerigo Vespucci: Vespucci explored the coast of South America and realized that it was a separate continent, not part of Asia as previously believed. This led to the naming of the continent as "America" in his honor.
3. Hernán Cortés: Cortés led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico, resulting in the colonization of the region by the Spanish. This conquest brought vast wealth and resources to Spain.
4. Francisco Pizarro: Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in Peru, leading to the establishment of Spanish rule in the region. The conquest brought immense wealth and resources to Spain.
5. Juan Ponce de León: Ponce de León explored and claimed Florida for Spain in 1513, becoming the first European to set foot on the land that would later become part of the United States.
6. Jacques Cartier: Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River and claimed parts of present-day Canada for France. His voyages laid the foundation for French colonization in North America.
7. Henry Hudson: Hudson explored the Hudson River and Hudson Bay, discovering and mapping areas that would later become part of New York and Canada. His voyages contributed to the Dutch and English colonization efforts in North America.
These explorers' discoveries and achievements had a profound impact on the history of the Americas, leading to European colonization, the establishment of new trade routes, and the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between the Old World and the New World.