In
1513
, while leading an expedition in search of gold, he sighted the Pacific Ocean. Balboa claimed the ocean and all of its shores for Spain, opening the way for later Spanish exploration and conquest along the western coast of South America.
Why did Balboa discover the Pacific Ocean?
In 1513, Balboa led an expedition from Darién to search for a new sea reportedly to the south and for gold. He hoped that if he was successful, he would win the favor of Ferdinand, the king of Spain. While he didn't find the precious metal, he did see
the Pacific Ocean
and claimed it and all of its shores for Spain.
Who was with Balboa when the Pacific Ocean was discovered?
On September 25th, 1513, Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and discovered the Pacific Ocean. Balboa was accompanied by
190 Spaniards and several hundred slaves
. His discovery spurred those looking for a passage to the Pacific.
Was Vasco Nunez de Balboa the first to see the Pacific Ocean?
Vasco Núñez de Balboa, (born 1475, Jerez de los Caballeros, or Badajoz, Extremadura province, Castile—died January 12, 1519, Acla, near Darién, Panama), Spanish conquistador and explorer, who was head of the first stable settlement on the South American continent (1511) and who was the
first European to sight the
…
What did Balboa believe the Pacific Ocean was?
Route Taken and Obstacles Faced
Balboa believed
the land where the sea was located would contain large amounts of gold
. Balboa became determined to find this sea.
What is Balboa mean?
Galician:
habitational name from the city of Balboa
, named with Latin vallis bona ‘pleasant valley'.
Who named the Pacific Ocean?
Explorer Ferdinand Magellan
named the Pacific Ocean in the 16th Century. Covering approximately 59 million square miles and containing more than half of the free water on Earth, the Pacific is by far the largest of the world's ocean basins.
What is the South Sea called today?
Southern Ocean, also called
Antarctic Ocean
, body of salt water covering approximately one-sixteenth of Earth's total ocean area.
What years did Balboa explore?
Balboa began these explorations in
1517-18
, after having a fleet of ships painstakingly built and transported in pieces over the mountains to the Pacific.
Who crossed the Isthmus of Panama on foot?
The Spanish
explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa
sighted the Pacific Ocean in 1513 from a mountain in Panama and, since he had crossed the Isthmus from north to south, called it the South Sea.
How did Vasco Nunez de Balboa treat the natives?
Balboa had a reputation for treating the
natives with respect
, fostering relationships and keeping promises that he had made. He respected the native governments and societies and listened to them in order to increase his knowledge of the land.
What eventually happens to Balboa?
When Balboa was summoned back to Darien, Pedrarias had him arrested and imprisoned on false charges of starting a rebellion. He was quickly
tried for treason against the crown
. Although Balboa denied the charge he was found guilty. He was sentenced to death, and beheaded on January 21, 1519.
Who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas?
After sailing through the dangerous straits below South America that now bear his name, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan enters the Pacific Ocean with three ships, becoming the first European explorer to reach the Pacific from the Atlantic.
What did Balboa cross?
He is best known for having crossed
the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean
in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World. He traveled to the New World in 1500 and, after some exploration, settled on the island of Hispaniola.
How did Balboa meet Leoncico?
According to legend, he and
Leoncico clambered up the rise together
, conquistador and conquistadog. From a hilltop clearing Balboa looked south, saw a vast expanse of water and, dropping to his knees, raised eyes and arms heavenward. Then he called his men to join him.
Who paid for Balboa's expedition?
One of the more remarkable parts of his story is that he did so with relatively little outside support and funds. His 1513 expedition across the Isthmus of Panama was carried out on a shoestring budget and was predominantly
funded by himself
. Balboa had indeed requested funding from the authorities of Hispaniola.
