Who were some of the important early European explorers?

Some important early European explorers include Christopher Columbus, who is credited with opening up the Americas to European exploration in 1492, and Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route to India around the Cape of Good Hope in 1498. Ferdinand Magellan is notable for leading the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe, while John Cabot explored parts of North America for England in the late 15th century. These explorers significantly expanded European knowledge of the world and facilitated trade and colonization.