Presents a concise history of early expeditions and explorers around the world including the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Vikings, and Chinese, as well as the discovery of the Americas and the North and South Poles.
Describes the 19th century travel of men and their journeys around the world, polar expeditions, the exploration of Africa, French circumnavigators, the Asian scientific movement, and American discoveries.
Two contemporary children meet Marco Polo as he describes his perilous adventures to the east and back. Learn of his relationship with Kublai Khan and how he wrote his account from a jail cell in Italy.
"European explorers left their homes to explore an unknown world. They did not always find what they expected. But they helped discover the truth about our world's geography. These early expeditions helped map out the modern world."--Back cover.
Samuel De Champlain was a man who served as the geographer to the French king, an expert on Native Americans, a skilled mapmaker, the founder of Quebec City, and the father of New France.
The individuals who set out on behalf of the countries they represented came from a variety of backgrounds, and included master navigators such as Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan the latter of whom was the first to circle the globe as well as the often ruthless conquistadors of the New World such as Francisco Pizarro and Hernan Cortes.
Profiles the lives and achievements of seven early explorers including Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Amerigo Vespucci, and Vasco da Gama. Includes a glossary.
