Explorers

Famous as the man after whom the flowering vine, Bougainvillea, is named, this French explorer travelled around the world in the 18th century. This was one of France’s earliest exploration expeditions and also laid some of the foundations of the 20th century war in the Falkland Islands.

Bouganville’s expedition was a scientific one and included the botanist Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the world.

This resource examines Bouganville’s life and achievements.

Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón was the first Spaniard to attempt to settle on the continent of North America. He took 600 colonists (including 100 African slaves) to an area today in the US state of South Carolina. Unfortunately the attempted colony was dogged by illness and a lack of food. Ayllón himself died and the colony experienced North America’s first slave revolt. Very few survivors made it back to the Caribbean 3 months after they had left to found the colony.

This resource examines the life and contribution of Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón and his ill-fated attempt to settle in North America.

Marco Polo is famous for his 13^th century travels to China, recorded by a novelist whom he met in prison. Part of the ‘Explorers’ series, this resource examines the life of Marco Polo, his travels in Asia and his contribution to the European understanding of Asia in the Middle Ages.

Martin Behaim was a German scientist, navigator and cartographer who accompanied the Portuguese expedition to West Africa, led by Diogo Cão.  This resource describes Behaim's life and achievements.

Nicolau Coelho was a Portuguese explorer who accompanied Vasco De Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral and Afonso de Albuquerque on their voyages of exploration. This resource examines his life and role in these expeditions.

This resource examines Pêro Vaz de Caminha, a Portugese official who accompanied Pedro Cabral on his voyage to South America in the year 1500.