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 Columbus's ships  The Galleon  Sir Humphrey Gilbert's world map  Sir Humphrey Gilbert  Path of the Spanish Armada  Drake's methods of navigation | |||||
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RATINGS: Sites are rated from 1 owl (good) to a high of 5 owls. Read more- Sir Francis Drake
Who was Sir Francis Drake? This is a fundamental question, but it can't be answered simply. Navigator, privateer, buccaneer, circumnavigator, adventurer, pirate-turned-explorer, knight, dragon — these are just of the few of Drake's many titles.
- 1492: An Ongoing Voyage
The Library of Congress offers this online exhibit on life in the Americas preceding and for the century following Columbus's discovery. There are overviews of the six sections, and a clickable outline of the entire exhibit is available at "Outline of Objects and Topics," which delivers maps and pictures as well as explanatory text.
- Charter to Sir Walter Raleigh 1584
This is the full text of the charter granted to Raleigh in 1584 to search out and occupy any lands not occupied by Christians. The sentences are long and extremely wordy, but they give a good sense of the formal language of the times. Try to decode the fancy wording and get to the root of Queen Elizabeth's message. Sir Walter Raleigh was presented with quite a mission.
- De Bry's Grand Voyages — Early Expeditions to the New World
Explorers' accounts of newfound lands inspired investment in further exploration and settlement ventures. Theodor De Bry of Frankfurt published many such accounts, and they were extravagantly illustrated. See many of the original illustrations here, accompanied by background information on the journeys.
- The Colony at Roanoke
Get a firsthand story of the colony of Roanoke, established in 1585 and abandoned just 10 months later. The colony was run by Ralph Lane, who reported to Sir Walter Raleigh. These excerpts from Ralph Lane's journal provide insight into life in America 22 years before the founding of Jamestown.
- L'Anse aux Meadows
The first permanent European settlement on North America was not English, French, or Spanish, but Norse. This site in Newfoundland, Canada, was discovered in 1960, 1,000 years after it was abandoned. Archaeologists investigated land features pointed out by a local inhabitant and determined that they were building remains. Recognized as a major archaeological discovery, the settlement is now being reconstructed and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Windows to the Unknown: Cabeza de Vaca's Journey to the Southwest
In 1528, Cabeza de Vaca found himself stranded on the Florida coast. He made the best of his situation by exploring the interior and recording his discoveries in his Relación of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca. The work of historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and ethnographers is brought together at this site dedicated to a significant event in the exploration of America.
Early Ventures Fail
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