Gaspar Cortes Real was born in 1450 in the Kingdom of Portugal and he disappeared around 1501. Gaspar was an explorer to the Portuguese King who sent him to discover lands and a North-West Passage to Asia. He reached Greenland instead believing it to be East Asia but chose not to land. He went on […]
Sir Martin Forbisher was born in 1535 in Yorkshire, UK, and he died on 22nd November 1594 (aged 59 years) in Plymouth, UK. Well-known for the discovery of Labrador and Forbisher Bay in Canada, Martin was one of the first English explorers who tried to discover a North-West Passage to the Indies but failed. He
Willem Cornelisz Schouten was born in 1567, Hoorn, Netherlands and he died in 1625 (aged 58 years), Antongil Bay, Madagascar. He was a dutch explorer and navigator for the Dutch East India Company. In 1615, Willem and his younger brother Jan Schouten sailed from Texel in the Netherlands, in an expedition led by Jacob le
Christopher Kit Carson was born on 24th December 1809 in Madison County, Kentucky, and he died on 23rd May 1868 (aged 58 years) in Colorado. An American trapper and guide, Kit Carson made an important contribution to the westward expansion of the United States working on various journeys with many explorers. In 1853, he agreed
Thor Heyerdahl was born on 6th October 1914 in Larvik, Norway, and he died on 18th April 2002 (aged 87 years) in Italy. Famous for his Kontiki Expedition Thor sailed 8,000-km across the Pacific Ocean in a hand-built raft to prove that the ancient people could make long voyages making contacts with the people of
Florence Baker was born on 6th August 1841 in Hungary and she died on 11th March 1916 (aged 75 years) in Devon, England. Along with Samuel Baker she launched an expedition to find the source of the Nile and found Lake Albert. She saved the expedition by solving the dispute that rose between Samuel Baker
Sir Samuel White Baker was born on 8th June 1821 in London, England, and he died on 30th December 1893 (aged 72 years) in Devon, England. Sir Samuel Baker is known to have found the source of the Nile and explored the Nile tributaries around Sudan and the Ethiopian border. He found the source of
Harriet Chalmers Adams was born on 22th October 1875, Stockton, California, US and she died on 17th July 1937 (aged 62 years) in Nice, France. Harriet was an American explorer, writer and photographer. She made a three-year journey through Central and South America. She travelled 40,000 miles, visiting every country, and reaching many points previously
William Alison ‘Bill’ Anders was born on 17th October 1933 in British Hong Kong and he is now retired from fighter pilot, Major General, USAFR and settled in the US. A former Airforce officer, nuclear engineer and astronaut, William is one of the first people to have orbited the moon. He held various positions in
Buzz Aldrin or Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr was born on 20th January 1930 and he is now retired today. An engineer and astronaut, Edwin is known for being the second man to step on the moon following Neil Armstrong. He was an Airforce pilot and was selected by NASA for the Gemini mission in 1969.
Peter Minuit was born in 1580 in Wesel, Germany, and he died on 5th August 1638 (aged 58 years) in Saint Christopher, West Indies. Peter Minuit is known for ‘purchasing’ Manhattan from a native–American tribe in 1626. He was named the director of the New Netherland colony in 1626 which stretches from the present day
Erik Thorvaldsson, known as Erik the Red, was born in 950 in Norway and he died in 1000 (aged 50 years) in Norway. Erik the Red was a settler and explorer and a viking known to have founded the first continuous settlement in Greenland, Erik was exiled from Iceland twice and moved to Greenland. He
Sir Walter Raleigh was born in 1552 in Devon, England, and he died on 29th October 1618 (aged 66 years) in London, England. Sir Walter was an explorer, soldier and writer of much note during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He established a colony near Roanoke Island, now North Carolina. He was also famous
Ernest Shackleton was born on 15th February 1874 in Kilkea, Ireland, and he died on 5th January 1922 (aged 48 years) in South Georgia. A merchant Navy officer, Ernest led three British expeditions to the Antarctic region. During his second expedition his team established a new record by reaching 97 geographical miles from the South
Gertrude Bell was born on 14th July 1868 in Washington Hall, England, and she died on 12th July 1926 (aged 58 years) in Baghdad, Iraq. A British traveller, archaeologist and political officer Gertrude explored and mapped her extensive travels through Syria, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor and Arabia. Gertrude was also known as Britain’s Queen of the