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Juan Ponce de Leon (1460?-1521) was a Spanish explorer and soldier who was the first European to set foot in Florida.

Hernando De Soto (1500?-1542) was a Spanish explorer and the first European to explore Florida and the southeastern US.

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer who sailed to North America from Spain, leaving in 1527.

Sir Francis Drake (1545-1596) was a British explorer, slave-trader, Admiral, and a privateer.

Gil Eannes (15th century) was a Portuguese explorer who was the first person to sail beyond the dreaded Cape Bojador.

Eric the Red (950?-1003 or 1004?) was a Viking explorer who was the first European in Greenland.

Estevanico was a Muslim slave from northern Africa who was one of the early explorers of the Southwestern United States.

Matthew Flinders (1774-1814) was an English explorer, naval officer, and navigator who circumnavigated Australia.

Sir John Franklin (1786-1847) was an English explorer and Admiral who proved the existence of a Northwest Passage.

Sir Martin Frobisher (1535?-1594) was an English privateer, navigator, explorer, and naval officer.

Colonel Yuri Alexeyevich Gagarin (1934 - 1968) was a Soviet cosmonaut and the first human in space.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1539-1583) was an English nobleman, Army officer, member of Parliament, and explorer.

Learn about Prince Henry the Navigator (1394-1460), who was a Portuguese royal prince, soldier, and patron of explorers.

Henry Hudson (1565-1611) was an English explorer and navigator who sailed to North America four times.

Father Eusebio Francisco Kino (1645 - 1711) was a Jesuit priest, missionary, explorer, map-maker, and astronomer.

Charles Marie de la Condamine was sent to Ecuador in 1735 to measure the Earth at the equator.

Jean Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe (1683 - 1765) was a French explorer, trader, and soldier.

Jean-François de la Pérouse (August 23, 1741-1788) was a French explorer and naval officer.