History The Age Of Exploration Questions
During the Age of Exploration, Colombian explorers made several major discoveries and achievements. Some of these include:
1. Christopher Columbus: Columbus is credited with discovering the Americas in 1492. He made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, exploring various Caribbean islands, Central and South America.
2. Alonso de Ojeda: Ojeda explored the northern coast of South America, particularly present-day Venezuela and Colombia. He discovered the Gulf of Venezuela and the Lake Maracaibo, which became important trade routes.
3. 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.
4. Rodrigo de Bastidas: Bastidas explored the northern coast of South America, including present-day Colombia and Panama. He discovered the mouth of the Magdalena River and established the first European settlement in Colombia.
5. Vasco Núñez de Balboa: Balboa is known for being the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean from the New World. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama and claimed the Pacific Ocean and all its shores for Spain.
6. Hernán Cortés: Cortés led the expedition that resulted in the fall of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. He conquered the capital city of Tenochtitlan and established New Spain, which became the center of Spanish colonization in the Americas.
These discoveries and achievements by Colombian explorers during the Age of Exploration had a significant impact on European colonization, trade, and the subsequent history of the Americas.