Who were the most early travelers of the west?

The earliest travelers to the West included Indigenous peoples who inhabited the continent long before European exploration. In the 15th and 16th centuries, European explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Hernán Cortés, and Francisco Pizarro ventured into the Americas, driven by the search for new trade routes and resources. Later, explorers like Lewis and Clark, who were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, significantly contributed to the understanding of the American West during the early 19th century. These early travelers shaped the cultural and geographical landscape of the West.