Vasco De Balboa
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About Him
Vasco De Balboa was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain in 1475. He was very charismatic but also a strong person.
Routes taken by Balboa
Major Accomplishments
- First to discover the Pacific Ocean
- First Spanish Explorer to gain a permanent foothold on American Land
Portrait of Balboa
Discovering the Pacific Ocean
Execution of Balboa
Voyages
Many of his voyages weren't accepted by the King. Around 1500, he joined a Spanish Expedition that explored the coast of present-day Columbia. That led him to go and seek a life of farming on the island of Hispaniola but then fell in debt. His only successful voyage was when he discovered the Pacific Ocean and claimed the coast of Spain as his own,