c. 1460-1510

Spanish navigator and cartographer who participated in the earliest explorations of America. He was captain of the Santa María on Christopher Columbus's first voyage to America in 1492 and returned with Columbus on his second American journey in 1493. In 1499 he participated in the exploration of the northern coast of South America. Cosa drew the first map of the world containing the new American continent in 1500. He was killed by natives in South America in 1510.