About the World’s Famous Sailors
The world’s famous sailors still fascinate people because of many reasons, but one of the most prominent reasons is that these explorers were responsible for discoveries that a lot of people can only dream of. The people who sailed the seas are a very important part of human history; it was these people that helped to discover the different regions of the world and join those regions into one human society.
Sailing the oceans of the world was a very important endeavor before there were jets and automobiles. It was these people who set out to determine if the earth was indeed flat, they were also sent on quests of discovery, very often kings and queens funded these adventurers.
One of the most famous sailors in history was a Norseman known as Leif Ericson, who in the 11th century headed the first voyage to reach North America from Europe. It is often misunderstood who it was that actually discovered America; this feat is usually given to another of the most famous sailors, Christopher Columbus, but the truth is that Columbus did not discover the North American continent, it was Leif Ericson.
Christopher Columbus did discover and name some of the Caribbean Islands. When it comes to the United States there are a few famous sailors; one of them is an English sailor by the name of Sir Walter Raleigh. It was Raleigh that founded the first English Colony in North America; Roanoke Island, which is located off the eastern coast of the United States.
Although those famous sailors that helped to discover America are some of the most well known, they are certainly not the only noteworthy explorers. One Portuguese sailor by the name of Ferdinand Magellan was actually the first to lead a voyage that would completely circle the globe. In the 17th century there was a Dutch sailor by the name of Abel Tasman, he was the first to discover New Zealand. James Cooke would eventually map many of the islands of the South Pacific, plus he was the first European to visit what is now known as the Hawaiian Islands.
The famous sailors of history played an important part in the settlement of different areas of the world. It was the discoveries of these men that made it possible to connect the world and its different cultures. Traveling the world’s seas was definitely not an easy task when these men set out on their quests of discovery. They were continually risking their lives to travel to far away lands. Not only were the ships of the time basically inadequate, their navigation equipment was archaic compared to what the captains of today have at their disposal.
Of course there were many famous sailors from history that have not yet been mentioned; these include Sir Francis Drake, Henry Hudson and several more. It was through the efforts of these brave men that the world was discovered and mapped. Once these men had discovered the different regions of the world, these areas could then be colonized. In many ways it is because of these men that those great nations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia exist.
Whenever you visit a new region of the world, think about how that place must have been when those famous sailors traversed the globe in their small ships, coming across natives and other perils, so that the world could someday be joined as one.