Early Explorers of America: Who Discovered the New World?

Early explorers of America sailed into the unknown and changed history forever. In this lesson, travel back to the Age of Exploration and meet the European explorers who first mapped North America — from the Vikings to the French fur traders. What Students Will Learn: • Why European nations launched voyages of exploration in the 15th–17th centuries • How Leif Eriksson and the Vikings reached North America 500 years before Columbus • The voyages of Columbus, Vespucci, Cabot, Ponce de León, Cartier, de Soto, Coronado, Cabrillo, Champlain, Hudson, Marquette, Joliet, and La Salle • How each expedition contributed to mapping the New World • The motivations behind European exploration: land, treasure, and trade routes This structured social studies lesson is designed for elementary and middle school classrooms, homeschool curricula, and independent learners studying early American history and the Age of Discovery. Each explorer is covered with key dates, locations, and contributions — ideal for building geographic literacy and historical thinking skills. Perfect for teachers building a US History or Social Studies unit on European exploration, colonization, and the founding of North America. Aligned to C3 Framework, NCSS Themes, and Common Core ELA/Literacy in History standards. Subscribe for more "Curriculum for Curious Minds" and discover our complete science unit here: https://bit.ly/4sjvvql #EarlyExplorers #AgeOfExploration #EuropeanExploration #SocialStudies #USHistory #NorthAmerica #ChristopherColumbus #LeifErikson #Homeschool #ClassroomResources