Famous Explorers

Summary
This lesson is designed to provide an overview of several explorers and their explorations.

Objectives
• To be able to describe identify Columbus, Magellan, Dias, Hudson, and King Ferdinand.

• To be able to list the contributions of several explorers.

• To be able to discuss the goals of exploration.

Suggested Grades
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
Most of the explorers that we have record of come from Europe, although there were many explorers who did not originate from that continent. Bartolomeu Dias was one of the first explorers to venture out of the Mediterranean Sea. In 1481, Dias accompanied another explorer from Portugal to the Gold Coast in West Africa. Sailing under the patronage of King John II, they were attempting to find trade routes that would establish relations with India and the Islamic countries. A few years after this, Dias was made the leader of an expedition that was to sail around the south of Africa. Dias became the first European to sail around the southernmost tip of Africa. He named this the Cape of Storms, but King John II renamed it the Cape of Good Hope.

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