World Explorers… on the map

It is hard to imagine a time when parts of the Earth were unknown, when the world was yet to be discovered. 

Ancient people were familiar with their own surroundings.  Beyond several miles, they could rely only on legend or imagination. What was down a river, or beyond a mountain….   What land was over the ocean?  Explorers were driven by desire for new trade routes.  They yearned to acquire wealth.  Some men wanted to spread news of their religion.  A chance for fame and fortune inspired even ordinary men.

Over Land and Sea

The history of exploration is filled with amazing tales.   Ancients traveled thousands of miles over challenging land, searching for  treasure.  They moved in groups to create empires.  Navigators ventured into unknown waters.  They battled fear, disease and hunger.  Polar explorers faced frigid landscapes.  Nowadays we have icebreaker ships, but the explorers were often trapped in ships frozen in ice.  They had only simple dog sledges for land transportation.

We know about some but not all Explorers

The history of exploration focuses on Asian and European explorers because they recorded their voyages and often mapped their expeditions.  Less is known about the earlier movements of native peoples across the continents.  Centuries of migration, notably that in North and South America, may have happened without ever being recorded. 

Explorers were courageous and creative.  Nowadays, travel is easy because everything is mapped and known…. Today, we think about what they did and are amazed that the dangers that they faced!  Would we have been so brave or willing to go into the unknown? 

Using a map with your students opens their eyes

When students work on a map that shows the routes of the explorers, they can envision the vast distances that were covered.

Our WORLD EXPLORERS map has a two-fold purpose.  Students learn about explorers as well as physical world geography. They can follow the routes of many famous explorers across a world map, from the early Vikings to the modern day polar explorers.

Map activities include shading, labeling and drawing in of the physical features the explorers encountered. The reverse side of the map describes all of the routes shown on the map.

Here is a detail from an old map by the cartographer Ortelius.  He added this detail, depicting Magellan’s ship, named Victoria.

Working on a large map that looks like an old map has its advantages.  Students can color and decorate this map in a way that reflects early maps.  Adding color to make a compass rose stand out.  Creating little pictures that might resemble those on an old map helps them appreciate and remember the efforts of early cartographers.

Make learning this history of explorers a memorable experience!