Spotlight on explorers and colonization

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Amerigo Vespucci, who explored South America and the West Indies.

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.

"[Presents the biography of Hernando de Soto.] In the 1500s, Hernando de Soto traveled throughout Central America and Peru, as well as the southeastern areas of the United States, in search of treasures and land for Spain. Although he may have had Spain's best interests at heart, de Soto and his expedition left a deadly trail of disease in their wake. De Soto would never find the rumored riches he sought. But he did discover the Mississippi River"--Provided by publisher.

"[Presents the biography of Sir Francis Drake,] the first Englishman to sail completely around the world. His adventures set England on a course for successfully sailing the seas, but like most explorers, his adventures were full of successes and failures alike ... [Describes] the secrecy and intrigue associated with Drake's agreements with England's Queen Elizabeth ... [and] the drama of his defeat of King Philip's daunting Armada in the 'Enterprise of England' attack"--Provided by publisher.

Biography of Henry Hudson, English mariner who explored the Hudson River and Bay, discussing his early life before the voyages, his time in the Arctic, his voyage down the East Coast of North America into present-day New York, and his exploration of Canada's Hudson Bay.

"In a pattern anyone familiar with the European explorers of the 1500s will recognize, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado set out in search of land and treasure. Following in the footsteps of Hernan Cortes, Coronado set out for the New World in hopes of claiming land and wealth for Spain ... [This book describes] the Coronado expedition from Mexico to Kansas as ...[he] sought in vain for the mythical seven cities of gold"--Provided by publisher.

Though most often remembered as marauding barbarians, the Vikings were also traders, farmers, and skilled craftsmen. Their exploration beyond the shores of Europe began in the late 900s with the founding of settlements in Greenland and Newfoundland. Notable Viking adventurers such as Erik the Red, Leif the Lucky, and Thorfinn Karlsefni are profiled. Readers will also learn about the Vikings’ weapons and armor, ships, religious beliefs, lifestyle, and the vast legacy they left behind in mythology, language, and shipbuilding.