The Top 5 Explorers in History and Their Impact on the World

It is believed that travel offers curious minds a slice of the world to conquer. We have seen men and women wake up one morning and sail on voyages to uncharted territories.  

Many of them discovered new worlds, and by connecting isolated areas with the rest of the world, their discoveries have changed the course of history. We have progressed throughout history thanks to the discoveries made by explorers. 

The world has seen many explorers, from Ibn Battuta’s exploration to Marco Polo’s visit to Columbus, who left their footprints for others to follow. Thus, let’s take a look at our top five historical explorers whose impacts have transformed the world.

Marco Polo

The birthplace of Marco Polo, Venice, was unable to hold him back due to his exotic nature and beauty. When he began travelling with his father and uncle, he caught the travel bug. They travelled to China via the Silk Road and accomplished amazing feats, earning Marco Polo the title of “Father of the European Exploration Tradition.”

He travelled throughout the East after becoming friends with Kublai Khan in China. History shows that he travelled more extensively than before in the East. After returning from his travels, Marco Polo chronicled all the adventures he experienced in a book called Livre des Merveilles du Monde.

Marco Polo contributed to the development of European cartography by providing a thorough description of the places he visited. The Venetian explorer movements positively impacted modern-day China. 

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus made significant contributions to the world of today and discovered some of the most amazing places on earth. Columbus’s accomplishments far surpass those of Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta. 

We can say that Columbus rediscovered the United States of America. The Spanish ships’ arrival in what is now known as ‘America’ in 1492 changed everything. While some people view Columbus as being tyrannical, others admire him for being persistent in discovering new worlds. 

Following Columbus’ discovery of America, European nations began to colonise and exploit people and places. 

Vasco da Gama

Do you know the legends surrounding Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer and the son of a powerful man? As a result of his affiliation with the Military Order of Santiago, Vasco was able to establish contact with the Portuguese navy.

After receiving a commission from the crown, he set out on his first expedition in 1497. With four ships, Vasco set out on the longest sea journey. He travelled along the African coast before sailing to the port of Malindi, located in modern-day Kenya, paying particular attention to the Cape of Good Hope.

Then, he visited Goa and Calicut in India, making him the first European to enter that country by sea, according to history. Vasco helped Portugal establish its presence in India. 

As a result of his journey, a long-standing trading relationship between India and Europe.

Ferdinand Magellan

The first voyage around the globe was led by Ferdinand Magellan. He wanted to explore the world for undiscovered riches, despite being a Portuguese nobleman’s child and having been born in 1480. In 1519, he made the risky decision to leave his home with a fleet of five ships that Charles I of Spain had commissioned.

He embarked on a journey to the coasts of West Africa, the Atlantic, and Brazil to fill the void in him. When they went missing, they were travelling along the South American coast.

Although he discovered the Strait of Magellan, he was unable to finish his journey. Eight of the 270 crew members who left their country three years prior returned home in one of those years.

Magellan also demonstrated that the world was larger than most people thought and that it could be travelled around by sea.

During Magellan’s voyage, the Spanish had the chance to spread Christianity throughout the Philippines.

Francis Drake

Francis Drake, an English explorer, privateer, and naval officer, was born in Devonshire in the 1540s. Drake began his career as a naval officer before learning from his father how to work as a coastal trader.

After turning twenty, he led a group of travellers to Africa before setting sail for the United States of America. He did engage in some sinister business as a slave trader, though. He was involved in the shipping of slaves until the time of his death.

Drake finished the second single-journey circumnavigation of the earth, regardless of whether he explored the world for good or evil. 

While returning from his visit to the pillaged and sacked cities, Drake stumbled upon Roanoke Island, which was the site of the first English settlement in the New World.

If you’re interested in history, you can do some research to find out more about these explorers and their ground-breaking discoveries, which have motivated and aided countless travellers and explorers throughout the ages. 

Are there any explorers that we missed? Let us know their names and their historical discoveries in the comments section below!