Emma

Emma media type="custom" key="18404354" align="center"

VASCO NUNEZ de BALBOA I would like to introduce to you Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. He was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain in 1475. He was the third of four children in his family. His sister married the explorer Hernando de Soto. Not much is known about his early life exept that he was a page to Don Pedro de Portocarrero. He was the first European to lead an expedition to have reached the Pacific from the new World. In 1501, at the age of 26, Balboa embarked on a career as a conquistador in the Americas. Balboa left Spain as part of RODRIGO DE BASTIDAŚ expedition to the northern coast of South America in search of pearls. He explored the harbor of what is now Cartagena, Columbia. He also visited the Gulf of Urabá, at the lower end of the Isthmus of Panama. Some problems with the ships forced the expedition to head for the Spanish settlements on the island of Hispaniola. Soon he settled there and attempted to establish a plantation.

Balboa owed so many people money that he decided to set sail. He hid in a barrell going to Urabá in Columbia. Once he was there, he found himself in more trouble and was suspected in murder. He heard about a vast new sea and wanted to find it.

After a 45 mile walk through a jungle, on September 25, 1513 Balboa found the Pacific Ocean.He claimed the ocean and all the lands that touched it. They spent the next 4 years moving boat parts so he could explore the Pacific Ocean. He went back to the Atlantic by a different route and then back to the Pacific again. Balboa took apart the ship and carried the pieces all the way through the jungle, and it took him 20 times. He put the boats back together and explored the west coast of South America.

In 1519, Balboa was tricked in coming back to the east coast by his former assistant. He was arrested by Francisco Pizarro. He was found guilty of treason and was beheaded.

Balboa was very famous for discovering the Pacific Ocean. I feel bad for Balaboa that he got beheaded. He didn’t deserve that. I thought that he was very brave that he continued on through the jungles to find the Pacific Ocean.

By, Emma