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Vasco Nunez de Balboa
Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a greedy, but determined explorer. He was born in the country of Spain in the year 1475. In 1513, Balboa, who tried to follow in fellow explorer Christopher Columbus' footsteps, sailed to San Sebastian, South America. He tried unsuccessfully to become a farmer, but decided instead to go searching for gold. The Native Americans in South America had told Balboa all about a "great sea" filled with gold and jewels. It became his personal goal to find this "great sea".
Balboa began his journey to wealth, by traveled across the Isthmus of Panama through thick rain forests. Here he faced difficulties with the thickness of the jungle plants and crossing safely through Indian villages. It took Balboa three weeks to get through the jungles, but he still hadn't reached his destination. So, Balboa climbed a mountain and at this height, he became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean, although it was yet to be given this name. He named it the South Sea. (Ferdinand Magellan named this ocean the Pacific after it was discovered.) Balboa claimed the Pacific Ocean and all that it touched, for his country of Spain. Balboa explored the Pacific Ocean and achieved his goal of wealth. He found pearls and gold in the ocean and sent them back to Spain. Sadly, Balboa was accused by an enemy, Pedrarias Davila, of treason and was beheaded in 1519. Even more sadly, he hadn't even committed the crime.
Sources:
http://europeanexplorers.weebly.com/vasco-nunez-balboa.html
http://www.landofthebrave.info/vasco-de-balboa-facts.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/balboa.htm
- Occupation: Explorer
- Born: 1475
- Died: 1519
- Best known for: Vasco Nunez de Balboa is famous for discovering the Pacific Ocean
Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a greedy, but determined explorer. He was born in the country of Spain in the year 1475. In 1513, Balboa, who tried to follow in fellow explorer Christopher Columbus' footsteps, sailed to San Sebastian, South America. He tried unsuccessfully to become a farmer, but decided instead to go searching for gold. The Native Americans in South America had told Balboa all about a "great sea" filled with gold and jewels. It became his personal goal to find this "great sea".
Balboa began his journey to wealth, by traveled across the Isthmus of Panama through thick rain forests. Here he faced difficulties with the thickness of the jungle plants and crossing safely through Indian villages. It took Balboa three weeks to get through the jungles, but he still hadn't reached his destination. So, Balboa climbed a mountain and at this height, he became the first European to see the Pacific Ocean, although it was yet to be given this name. He named it the South Sea. (Ferdinand Magellan named this ocean the Pacific after it was discovered.) Balboa claimed the Pacific Ocean and all that it touched, for his country of Spain. Balboa explored the Pacific Ocean and achieved his goal of wealth. He found pearls and gold in the ocean and sent them back to Spain. Sadly, Balboa was accused by an enemy, Pedrarias Davila, of treason and was beheaded in 1519. Even more sadly, he hadn't even committed the crime.
Sources:
http://europeanexplorers.weebly.com/vasco-nunez-balboa.html
http://www.landofthebrave.info/vasco-de-balboa-facts.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/balboa.htm