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...

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,...

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...

While he is now primarily associated with the quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Le n 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 Le n s treatment of Native Americans and the issues with crediting him with the discovery...

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...

Although Magellan led the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, he perished before the trip was completed. Readers will learn about the challenges that his expedition faced on its long, arduous journey, as well as how this Portuguese explorer ended up leading a Spanish expedition in the first place. Other highlights include his travels as a young man, the discovery of the strait now named after him, and his partnership with astronomer Rui...

Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was a bold and brutal adventurer who was the first European to find an all-sea route to India. Along the way, he made contact with local people in South Africa, Mozambique, and the Indian kingdom of Calicut. Though revered in his time for helping Portugal become a powerful force on the world stage, da Gama is also remembered as a controversial figure for his forceful and cruel behavior in Africa and India. This warts-and-all...

"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...