Famous Explorers: Christopher Columbus

Explorers

• An explorer is someone motivated to be the first person to visit a place, making a journey into the unknown.
• Explorers enjoy making records of their travels to share with others.
• Modern-day explorers use various equipment such as videos, photographs, books, the internet, and satellites to share their knowledge.

Famous Explorers

Christopher Columbus

• Christopher Columbus was a navigator from Italy who knew how to make maps and sail wooden boats.
• He wanted to travel to Asia to trade spices and silks.
• In 1492, the King and Queen of Spain funded his expedition to reach Asia by sailing west.
• Columbus accidentally discovered a route from Europe to the Americas, landing in the Bahamas.
• He started regular contact between Europe and America, bringing back goods like turkey, pineapples, and potatoes.

Edmund Hillary

• Edmund Hillary was a mountaineer from New Zealand.
• He wanted to climb the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.
• In 1953, Hillary's team began their climb, using oxygen cylinders to help them breathe in the thin atmosphere.
• He and his Sherpa guide, Tenzig Norgay, were the first people to set foot on Mount Everest.

Amelia Earhart

• Amelia Earhart was an American pilot who wanted to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
• She achieved this feat in 1932.

Roald Amundsen

• Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian adventurer who wanted to be the first person to reach the South Pole.
• He reached Antarctica in the early 20th century, beating the British explorer to the location.

Neil Armstrong

• Neil Armstrong was an American astronaut who wanted to travel to the moon.
• In 1969, he traveled to the moon in Apollo 11 and became the first man to step on the moon.
• He spent 21 hours on the moon, collecting moon rocks, and leaving his footprints behind.

Explorers

• Motivated to be the first to visit a place, making a journey into the unknown
• Record their travels to share with others
• Modern-day explorers use various equipment to share knowledge

Christopher Columbus

• Italian navigator who knew how to make maps and sail wooden boats
• Wanted to travel to Asia to trade spices and silks
• Funded by the King and Queen of Spain to reach Asia by sailing west in 1492
• Accidentally discovered a route from Europe to the Americas, landing in the Bahamas
• Started regular contact between Europe and America, bringing back goods like turkey, pineapples, and potatoes

Edmund Hillary

• Mountaineer from New Zealand
• Wanted to climb the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest
• Used oxygen cylinders to help breathe in the thin atmosphere in 1953
• First person to set foot on Mount Everest with his Sherpa guide, Tenzig Norgay

Amelia Earhart

• American pilot who wanted to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
• Achieved this feat in 1932

Roald Amundsen

• Norwegian adventurer who wanted to be the first person to reach the South Pole
• Reached Antarctica in the early 20th century, beating the British explorer

Neil Armstrong

• American astronaut who wanted to travel to the moon
• Traveled to the moon in Apollo 11 in 1969
• First man to step on the moon, spending 21 hours there
• Collected moon rocks and left footprints behind