Vasco Nunez De Balboa

My explorer report is one a man named Vasco Nunez de Balboa. He was born in 1475 at Jerez de los Caballeros in Spain. His father was perhaps a nobleman but had no influence or wealth.

Balboa sailed for the country he was born in, Spain. He was a Spanish conquistador. He claimed a few places in Middle America for Spain. Some of those places were Darien (which he was governor of) or San Sebastian.

In 1500 he sailed with Rodrigo de Bastidas from Spain to Columbia and they were mainly searching for gold! Later he had no luck so went back to Spain. In 1501 he joined a Spanish expedition to South America to the north coast of the continent including the Gulf of Uraba. They attempted a settlement but lacked enough people so in 1502 sailed to Hispaniola. But when they left, Balboa had to stay behind due to debts that had to be paid off.

The explorers without Balboa established San Sebastian but had to abandon it because of the Indians and lack of food. They went back to Hispaniola and Balboa had paid off his debts! He suggested creating a town on the west instead of east side of the Gulf of Uraba. So when they did the Indians did not bother them