Before there were the paved roads and industrious cities that we see nowadays, early explorers were forced to set out and brave the great unknown. With a relentless commitment toward finding new, undiscovered lands, the early explorers mapped out the various bits and pieces that come together to make up much the various maps of the globe today. We’ll take a look at some rare photos of the early explorers that fearlessly carved their paths throughout the world.
1. John Cabot (c. 1450–c. 1499)
Cabot was an Italian explorer who was sailing for England and eventually ended up reaching the coast of North America in 1497. Cabot is given credit for being the first European to explore the whole region since the Vikings.
2. Hernán Cortés (1485–1547)
Cortés led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1519-1521. He had fewer than 600 men and ended up overthrowing Montezuma II as well as capturing Tenochtitlán (modern Mexico City). His conquest reshaped the history of Central America and established Spanish rule.
3. Francisco Pizarro (1478–1541)
Tracing back to 1532, Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in South America, and also captured Emperor Atahualpa. His brutal tactics led to Spanish control of huge territories spread throughout present-day Peru. He would later be assassinated by rival Spanish factions.
4. Jacques Cartier (1491–1557)
Cartier was a French explorer who led three voyages to North America. Cartier claimed Canada for France back in 1534. He also explored the St. Lawrence River and interacted with the Iroquois through numerous relations that were exceedingly tense.
5. Hernando de Soto (c. 1500–1542)
A Spanish explorer who led an expedition through the Southeastern U.S., de Soto ended up being the first European to cross the Mississippi River in 1541. He most often searched for gold but usually only ended up coming upon hardship, disease, and resistance from the very people whose land he disturbed.
6. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado (1510–1554)
Coronado led a Spanish expedition in 1540, eagerly searching for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold rumored to be in the Southwestern U.S. He and his men were the first Europeans to ever see the Grand Canyon as well as the Great Plains.
7. Samuel de Champlain (1574–1635)
Champlain was known as the Father of New France. He explored the northeastern U.S. and Canada, ultimately founding Quebec City in 1608. He also established fortified alliances with Indigenous tribes, including the Huron. His intensely detailed maps and journals also ended up helping shape France’s North American colonies.
8. Henry Hudson (c. 1565–1611)
Henry Hudson was an English explorer who sought out a northern route to Asia. Hudson ended up charting much of the northeastern U.S. as well as Canada. In 1609, he explored the Hudson River, which now actually bears his name. His crew however ended up mutinying him in 1611, abandoning him in the Arctic, and he would never be seen again.
9. Robert de La Salle (1643–1687)
La Salle was a French explorer who traveled the Great Lakes and also the Mississippi River. He claimed enormous territories for France. In 1682, he ended up reaching the Gulf of Mexico and actually named the region Louisiana with the intention of honoring King Louis XIV.
10. Daniel Boone (1734–1820)
Daniel Boone was a notorious frontiersman during his time. He set about laying claim to what would be the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, ultimately opening up Kentucky to settlement
11. James Cook (1728–1779)
James Cook was primarily known for Pacific explorations, and he also mapped a huge chunk of the North American coastline, with an particular focus on Alaska. Cook’s voyages went on to provide crucial geographical knowledge for future explorers.
12. Zebulon Pike (1779–1813)
Pike explored the Mississippi River as well as the Rocky Mountains, discovering Pikes Peak in Colorado in 1806. Pike’s reports described various Spanish-held lands, influencing U.S. territorial ambitions. Pike ended up dying during the War of 1812.
13. Jedediah Smith (1799–1831)
Smith was both a fur trapper and an explorer. He was one of the first Americans to ever cross the Sierra Nevada, and then ultimately reach California. Smith was responsible for mapping a huge chunk of the American West and also survived multiple attacks, which included a vicious bear mauling.
14. Kit Carson (1809–1868)
Kit Carson was a notorious scout, explorer, and also frontiersman who ended up guiding settlers and soldiers across a vast majority of the West. Carson played a huge role in the Mexican-American War and also helped map out a wide span of western territories.
15. Brigham Young (1801–1877)
Brigham Young was responsible for leading thousands of Mormon settlers westward bound and helped to establish Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1847. His leadership was responsible for helping to establish one of the largest ever religious settlements in the whole U.S.
