* Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer
* Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1451
* Sailed to the Americas in 1492, landing in the Bahamas
* Claimed the Americas for Spain
* Died in Valladolid, Spain, in 1506
2. Vasco da Gama
* Portuguese explorer and navigator
* Born in Sines, Portugal, in 1460
* Sailed to India in 1498, becoming the first European to reach India by sea
* Established trade routes between Europe and Asia
* Died in Cochin, India, in 1524
3. Ferdinand Magellan
* Portuguese explorer and navigator
* Born in Sabrosa, Portugal, in 1480
* Led the first circumnavigation of the world, which began in 1519
* Killed in the Philippines in 1521
4. Samuel de Champlain
* French explorer and colonizer
* Born in Brouage, France, in 1574
* Explored the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes
* Founded Quebec City in 1608
* Died in Quebec City in 1635