Spotlight on explorers and colonization

Goes beyond the familiar myth of Columbus as the celebrated discoverer of the New World, to examine his troubling legacy of tyranny, murder, and enslavement of many of the native people he encountered in the Caribbean.

"Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed around the world for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. His efforts led to a treaty opening the spice trade with India, but also years of war between his men and the kingdom of Calicut. Along the way he also discovered Brazil, perhaps by accident, opening the door for centuries of Portuguese colonization there. This biography dives into Cabral's background, his exploration assignments, and the impact, both positive and negative, of his voyages to India and Brazil"--Amazon.com.

Provides an account of the life and accomplishments of Ferdinand Magellan, whose expedition was the first to circumnavigate the globe. Includes a consideration of his legacy and his fateful final voyage.

Looks at the life of the sixteenth-century English mariner Henry Hudson, whose search for the Northwest Passage motivated his extensive explorations on the East Coast of North America.

Looks at the life and accomplishments of Francisco Vazquez de Coronado, who--although he failed in his search for the mythical seven cities of gold--discovered the Grand Canyon during his explorations of North America.

Shares the life of the Italian explorer who made several voyages of discovery for England, including the discovery of the North American mainland.

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Giovanni da Verrazzano, who explored the Atlantic Coast of North America.

Pedro ?lvares Cabral sailed around the world for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. His efforts led to a treaty opening the spice trade with India, but also years of war between his men and the kingdom of Calicut. Along the way he also discovered Brazil, perhaps by accident, opening the door for centuries of Portuguese colonization there. This biography dives into Cabral’s background, his exploration assignments, and the impact, both positive and negative, of his voyages to India and Brazil.

Learn about the life and accomplishments of the first man to reach the Pacific Ocean from the New World, Vasco Nunez de Balboa.

Shares the life of the Portuguese explorer who became the first person to link Europe and Asia by an ocean route.