b) Vasco Núñez de Balboa

Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a Spanish explorer, was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the Americas in 1513. His discovery was a monumental moment in the Age of Exploration, significantly advancing European knowledge of the New World. Balboa’s journey across the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean opened new avenues for exploration and conquest, influencing subsequent Spanish expeditions.