What incentives drive explorers to set off into unknown territory, often risking their lives? This class introduces you to pioneers who blazed trails on several continents. Follow the Silk Road to China, before meeting conquistadors who built empires in Central and South America. The first Europeans to set foot in North America were Norsemen, who were followed by those who thought it was their right to conquer territory belonging to native Americans. The quest to find the heart of Africa began long before David Livingstone's journeys, while the challenge facing polar explorers brought dangers of a different kind. Lecture style class with question and answer time.