Vasco+Nunez+De+Balboa

by: Kent Sadler

__**V**asco **N**unez **D**e **B**alboa__

Vasco Nunez De Balboa was born on 1474-January in Jerez De Los Caballeros. His family was noble but poor. Balboa became wealthy as a swordsman. Balboa was given money by Spain in 1495 for his journey. In 1513 he was the first European to lead an expedition to have crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean from the New World. Balboa was also known for being the first person to see and reach the Pacific Ocean from Spain. His main goal was to come across kingdoms rich with gold. He did accompish this and brought back gold and pearls to Spain. He came though the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, and on the way he saw some islands but never stopped to get off the boat to get resituated as some other explorers did on their travels. In 1517 Balboa contracted with Pedriarias to build a fleet of ships to explore the South Sea. His supporters planned to use these ships to sail for Peru away from Pecriarias. Balboa encountered indians when he battled, he thought the arrow heads had poison on them. He took dogs on his explorations and used them in his battles. Balboa treated the natives much better than the others explorers did. The cool thing about Balboa is he made peace more than war in his battles. He was mayor of Santa Maria and governor of Veragua. After he was mayor and governor he was killed.

Balboa died in 1519, he was beheaded with his four friends because of treason. Balboa's head did not come off the first time or the second time, it was the third swing of the axe that took his head off! Balboa was beheaded because he told a lie to his king and broke the law. But we still know Vasco Nunez De Balboa for his exploring of the Pacific Ocean. Vasco Nunez De Balboa was a great conquistador!