Vasco Núñez de Balboa Facts & Worksheets

Vasco Núñez de Balboa, born in 1475 in either Jerez de los Caballeros or Badajoz in the Castile region of Spain, passed away on January 12, 1519, near Acla, close to Darién in Panama. He was a Spanish conquistador and adventurer who led the inaugural enduring colony on the South American continent in 1511. Notably, he was the first European to lay eyes on the eastern coast of the Pacific Ocean, accomplishing this feat on September 25 or 27, 1513, from a vantage point in the Darién region.

See the fact file below for more information about Vasco Núñez de Balboa, or you can download our 30-page Vasco Núñez de Balboa worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

• Spain’s Jerez de los Caballeros is where Balboa was born. On the border between León and Galicia, at the castle of Balboa, he was a direct descendent of Lord Mason. 
• His father, Nuo Arias de Balboa, was a hidalgo (nobleman), and his mother was the Lady de Badajoz. 
• The only thing that is known about Vasco’s early years is that he was the third boy in a family of four boys. 
• During his formative years, he worked as a page and squire for the lord of Moguer, Don Pedro de Portocarrero.

CAREER IN THE AMERICAS

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa, hailing from the lower aristocracy, ventured to the Indies in search of fortune, sailing with Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1500 along the Colombian coast. 
• After some struggles as a pioneer farmer in Hispaniola (Haiti), he joined an expedition led by Martín Fernández de Enciso in 1510 to deliver supplies to a colony established by Alonso de Ojeda on the Colombian coast.
• Following Balboa’s suggestion, the settlers relocated to Darién, Panama, establishing the first permanent settlement on the continent, Santa María de la Antigua. 
• Balboa took a leading role in the colony, eventually becoming its captain general and provisional governor, appointed by King Ferdinand II in December 1511.
• Balboa pursued missions to local Indian chiefdoms for treasure and enslaved people, using various strategies, including trade and coercion. 
• He received information about the Pacific Ocean and a wealthy province to the south, possibly the Inca Empire. 
• Balboa dispatched agents to Spain for reinforcements, but the monarch sent Pedro Arias De Ávila as commander and governor instead.
• In April 1514, a significant expedition departed from Spain under Pedrarias’ leadership.

SIGHTING OF THE PACIFIC

• In the meantime, on September 1, 1513, Balboa set sail from Santa Maria for Acla, at the narrowest point of the isthmus, without waiting for reinforcements. 
• He marched south across the isthmus with 190 Spanish soldiers and many Indian porters, through thick forests, rivers, and swamps, and up the cordillera on September 25 (or 27), 1513, while “silent,  upon a peak in Darién,” he sighted the Pacific. 
• A few days later, he arrived at the Gulf of San Miguel’s beach and claimed the South Sea’s Mar del Sur and the surrounding territory for the King of Castile. 
• Storms stopped Balboa from reaching the Pearl Islands, so he turned inland and made it almost as far as the location of modern-day Panama City before crossing back to Santa Mara in January 1514. 
• Balboa’s letters, along with those of a royal agent sent to Darién to lay the groundwork for the arrival of Pedrarias, announcing the discovery of the “South Sea,” brought him back into the king’s good graces. 
• He was appointed adelantado (governor) of the Mar del Sur and the provinces of Panamá and Coiba, but he continued to be under Pedrarias’ control.
• The ailing, bad-tempered Pedrarias’ mistrust and jealousy of the younger guy immediately caused tension between the two men.
• Juan de Quevedo, the first bishop of Darién, attempted to mediate the conflict and set up a temporary reconciliation; in response, Pedrarias, by proxy, wed his daughter Mara to Balboa in Spain. However, the primary reasons for the conflict persisted. 
• Despite the suspicious Pedrarias’ arduous efforts to impede Balboa at every opportunity, he eventually granted Balboa’s wish to explore the South Sea. 
• With unwavering effort, Balboa successfully built a fleet of ships, which were later transported piece by piece across the mountains to reach the Pacific coast. There, he conducted explorations in the Gulf of San Miguel from 1517 to 1518.

DOWNFALL AND DEATH

• Vasco Núñez de Balboa’s relationship with Pedrarias took a turn for the better when he married Pedrarias’ daughter, Maria de Penalosa, with the help of Bishop de Quevedo and Isabel de Bobadilla. 
• However, their friendship lasted only about two years, during which Balboa developed a strong bond with his father-in-law.
• Balboa, eager to explore the South Sea, faced resistance from Pedrarias, but he eventually gained permission to embark on a new expedition lasting a year and a half. 
• He settled in Acla in 1519, gathered supplies, and built ships. Balboa sailed along the Pacific coast, reaching Puerto Pias, named after the abundance of pineapples.
• After Balboa’s return, Pedrarias accused him of trying to overthrow his authority and establish a rival government.
• Balboa was arrested and put on trial. Espinosa handed down the verdict and sentenced Balboa and four of his associates to death by beheading. They were executed, and their heads were displayed for days.
• The exact location of Balboa’s final resting place remains unknown.
• Gaspar de Espinosa sailed the same ships ordered by Balboa, and in 1520, Ferdinand Magellan renamed the calm sea the Pacific Ocean in honor of its tranquility.

LEGACY

• Even though Balboa was gone too soon, history will never forget his exploits as the first European to reach America. 
• Vasco Núñez de Balboa is the name of several parks and streets in Panama, and he is recognized with several monuments for discovering the South Sea. 
• The Balboa is the name of the money used in Panama, and most of its coins feature his image on the obverse. 
• Other places bearing his name include the main port of Panama City, Balboa (the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal), the Balboa District within Panama Province, which consists of the Pearl Islands he discovered, and a local beer.
• Balboa High School is located in the Excelsior District of San Francisco, California, US, and is named for the Spanish adventurer, along with a group of streets bearing his name. Balboa’s name is also honored in Madrid with a boulevard and a metro station. 
• There is also a sizable park (Balboa Park) near downtown San Diego, California, that bears Balboa’s name and was named after him in 1910.
• The Orden Vasco Núñez de Balboa, founded by Law 27 dated January 28, 1933, is one of the highest orders the Panamanian government gave to distinguished and remarkable individuals, both domestically and abroad. It comes in multiple degrees.
• He inspired the naming of the Balboa lunar crater.
• The lyrics to Randy Newman’s song “The Great Nations of Europe” mention Balboa.Vasco Nunez de Balboa was shown on the 1913 Panama-Pacific Exposition’s one-cent coin. The 1-cent Balboa was used with other denominations to meet significant weight and international destinations. It paid the 1-cent card rate. The general public received over 330 million of them from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
• Vasco Nunez de Balboa Base Naval of SENAN is in Panama City and bears Balboa’s name.
• The Nez de Balboa Photovoltaic Power Plant in Usagre, Badajoz, western Spain, was inaugurated in 2020 by Iberdrola. At the time, it was Europe’s largest solar power facility, at 500MW.

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Vasco Núñez de Balboa across 30 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Vasco Núñez de Balboa. Balboa was a Spanish conquistador and adventurer who led the inaugural enduring colony on the South American continent in 1511.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Vasco Núñez de Balboa Facts
2. Balboa’s Crossword
3. Explore His Life
4. Geographical Significance
5. Strong Words
6. Impact on Populations
7. Opportunities
8. Digital Trading Game
9. Compare and Explore
10. What is This?
11. Von Voyage

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Vasco Núñez de Balboa?

Vasco Núñez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who is best known for being the first European to lead an expedition that reached the Pacific Ocean from the New World. Born around 1475, he played a significant role in the early exploration and conquest of the Americas.

What is Vasco Núñez de Balboa most famous for?

Balboa is most famous for his expedition across the Isthmus of Panama, during which he became the first European to witness the Pacific Ocean. On September 25, 1513, he reached the Pacific after crossing the narrow land bridge that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This accomplishment opened the door to further exploration of the western coast of South America.

How did Vasco Núñez de Balboa’s expedition impact European exploration of the Americas?

Balboa’s expedition was a crucial milestone in the Age of Exploration. His discovery of the Pacific Ocean had far-reaching consequences, as it provided a navigable route to the riches of the East Indies. This discovery influenced subsequent explorers, including Ferdinand Magellan, who would later circumnavigate the globe. Balboa’s journey also contributed to Spain’s territorial claims and furthered their colonization efforts in the Americas.

What was the ultimate fate of Vasco Núñez de Balboa?

Despite his significant contributions, Balboa’s life ended tragically. He fell out of favor with the Spanish Crown, and in 1519, he was arrested on charges of treason and other offenses. He was executed in 1519, at the command of the new governor of Darién, Pedrarias Dávila. Balboa’s achievements were later recognized, and his legacy as a pioneering explorer endured.

How is Vasco Núñez de Balboa remembered today?

Vasco Núñez de Balboa is remembered as a key figure in the early exploration of the Americas and for his role in the discovery of the Pacific Ocean. His exploits are often studied in the context of the Age of Exploration, and he is recognized as a significant contributor to the expansion of European influence in the Western Hemisphere. Various monuments and places, including Balboa Park in San Diego, California, are named in his honor.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

<a href="https://kidskonnect.com/social-studies/vasco-nunez-de-balboa/">Vasco Núñez de Balboa Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com</a> - KidsKonnect, January 10, 2024

Link will appear as Vasco Núñez de Balboa Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 10, 2024