Antarctica history in brief - by Howard Hillman

Interesting historical tidbits

for your Antarctica cruise

Antarctica's
most heroic story

Shackleton's Endurance

The British explorer Earnest Shackleton came close in 1909 to being the first human to reach the South Pole, but was forced back when supplies ran perilously low.

Two years later another explorer accomplished the feat, so Shackleton fashioned a new goal: To be the first to cross the Antarctica Continent. In 1915 he sailed into the Wendell Sea to begin the trek.

Unfortunately, his Endurance ship became trapped in ice and was slowly crushed. The Endurance began listing (see photo) and eventually sank, leaving the Shackelton team shipless in the middle of nowhere. Miraculously, he was able to lead his men safely back to civilization on a long journey over perilous ice and open seas.

Another famous
Antarctica story

Race to the South Pole

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and British explorer Robert Falcon Scott were avid rivals in the quest to become the first human to reach the South Pole.

Amundsen and his team won bragging rights in 1911. He returned home to widespread acclaim.

Although Scott also reached the South Pole, he found a Norwegian flag, which meant Amundsen beat him. Scott's luck worsened on the way back. He and his men ran out of essential provisions and died.

How Antarctica
came to be

200 million years B.C. - Antarctica begins breaking away from the supercontinent Gondwana.

40 million years B.C. - Antarctica is now completely separated from all its previously connected continents. It is surrounded by water.

Historical firsts

400 BC - Concept
Greeks postulate that there might be a large continent hugging the bottom of the earth.

1773 - Antarctic Circle crossing
English explorer James Cook did it (but he never saw the continent).

1820 - Confirmed sighting

Russian explorer Bellingshausen spots the Antarctica continent.

1821 - Confirmed landing

Crew on the American sealer ship Cecilia set foot on the Antarctica Continent.

1911 - Geological South Pole

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team reach it.

1956 - Tourism
Sightseeing flights from Chile take wing over Antarctica. Tourist-toting ships soon follow.

1978 - Native Antarctican

A boy is born at the Argentine research station Esperanza.

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