In 1531, Pizarro led a small but well trained army along the Pacific Coast of the unexplored South America. With less than 200 men, he conquered the Inca empire, known as modern day Peru. Ages 8+years.

A Portuguese navigator whose initial voyage to India opened up the sea route from Western Europe to the East by way of the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1271, the ruler of the enormous Mongol Empire invited Marco Polo into his service, thus began Polo's 25 years of travel to the far corners of the Mongol empire. Ages 8+ years.

Spanish legend claimed there were seven cities built of gold and filled with treasure in the New World. Today he is seen as a brave explorer and a careful observer of life in the Southwest. Ages 8+ years.


Columbus left Spain in 1492 thinking he could reach China by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. When he reached land after five weeks, he thought he had discoverede a new route to the East Indies. It was not until much later that people realised he had instead found the New World. Ages 8+