Sir Alexander Mackenzie (or MacKenzie, Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair MacCoinnich; c. 1764 – 12 March 1820) was a Scottish explorer known for accomplishing the first crossing of America north of Mexico in 1793.
Alexander Mackenzie (explorer)
| Sir Alexander Mackenzie | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Explorer |
| Known for | Mackenzie River Mackenzie, British Columbia |
| Signature |
Who was the first British explorer in Canada?
The First Europeans
The remains of their settlement, l’Anse aux Meadows, are a World Heritage site. European exploration began in earnest in 1497 with the expedition of John Cabot, who was the first to draw a map of Canada’s East Coast.
Who first explored the west coast of BC?
By the 1740’s, Russians had begun trading on the B.C. coast. In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook became the first European to set foot in British Columbia on his third expedition to the Pacific.
Who explored the west coast of Canada?
Francis Drake May Have Discovered Western Canada Hundreds of Years Earlier, Kept Quiet About It. The Age of Exploration, from roughly the 15th through 17th centuries, was a busy time for global colonialism.
Who was the first explorer to sail to Canada?
French mariner Jacques Cartier was the first European to navigate the St. Lawrence River, and his explorations of the river and the Atlantic coast of Canada, on three expeditions from 1534 to 1542, laid the basis for later French claims to North America. Cartier is also credited with naming Canada.
Which British explorers visited Canada?
Captain George Vancouver (1758-1798) was an English explorer and navigator who sailed to the northwest coast of North America. His two ships, “Discovery” and “Chatham,” reached the Strait of Juan de Fuca (near what is now the US-Canadian border) in May, 1792.
Who were the first British explorers?
The most famous English explorers embarked on their voyages of discovery during the Elizabethan reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The most famous English explorers included Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Martin Frobisher and Sir John Hawkins.
Who reached the West coast first?
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first European expedition that explored what is now the west coast of the United States. Cabrillo departed from the port of Navidad, Mexico on June 27, 1542. Three months later he arrived at “a very good enclosed port,” which is known today as San Diego Bay.
Who were the first people on the West coast?
The first explorers and settlers of Coastal California were American Indians. The most expansive European colonizations efforts were made by the Spanish. On September 28, 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo and his crew entered San Diego Bay–the first Europeans to visit California.
When was the west coast of Canada discovered?
European arrival (1513–1750) In 1513, Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to reach the west coast of North America, on the Pacific coast of the Panama isthmus.
Who explored out west?
Among these men were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, co-leaders of an expedition tasked with exploring land that the United States had recently acquired. Their trip would turn into an epic 8,000-mile-long trek—and the first big step in the United States’ westward expansion.
Who discovered the Northwest Passage in Canada?
John Cabot, a Venetian navigator living in England, became the first European to explore the Northwest Passage in 1497. He sailed from Bristol, England, in May with a small crew of 18 men and made landfall somewhere in the Canadian Maritime islands the following month.
Which two explorers made it into the Pacific region?
British explorers include Samuel Wallis (1767–68) and Philip Carteret (1767–68). But by far the most wide-ranging and accomplished of the eighteenth-century explorers was the Englishman James Cook, who made three separate voyages to the Pacific in 1768–71, 1772–75, and 1776–80.
Why did explorers first sail to Canada?
When First Nations came into contact with European settlers and explorers, the first people they met were often traders and missionaries. Many of the first Europeans to come to Canada wanted to set up trading networks.
Who was the first explorer to reach Canada in 1497?
John Cabot’s
John Cabot’s ship, the Matthew, sailed from Bristol with a crew of 18 in 1497. After a month at sea, he landed and took the area in the name of King Henry VII. Cabot had reached one of the northern capes of Newfoundland.
When did the British first arrive in Canada?
Great Britain began acquiring territory in what is now Canada in the 1600s. In 1867, four British colonies (Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, & New Brunswick) joined together as the “Dominion of Canada” and became a self-governing state within the British Empire.
Who is the most famous British explorer?
As the most famous British explorer, James Cook, the cartographer, navigator and Royal Navy captain, undertook three dangerous sea voyages between 1768 and 1779.
Which two explorers did Britain send to explore North America?
- Sir Francis Drake. Sir Francis Drake was a British sea captain and an Admiral in the British Navy who traded with the Spanish.
- Henry Hudson. Henry Hudson wanted to find a passage across the continent of North America.
- Sir Walter Raleigh. Raleigh was a British explorer, poet, historian, and soldier.
Who was the first famous explorer?
1. Vasco da Gama (c. 1460s to 1524) Vasco da Gama, the first famous explorer of world history on this list!
Who was the first explorer ever?
Leif Erikson (c. 970–c. 1020) was a famous Norse explorer who is credited for being the first European to set foot on American soil. Marco Polo (1254–1324) was an Italian explorer who traveled to the Far East and back to his hometown Venice in the matter of 24 years.
Who were the first three explorers to sail to the Pacific Northwest?
The First Explorers
Following that momentous event, Spain dispatched a number of legendary captains to the West Coast of North America, including Hernando Cortez, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, and Bartolome Ferrelo.