Antarctica Timeline

By FM2232
  • First humans to cross the Antarctic Circle

    First humans to cross the Antarctic Circle

    Captain James Cook and his crew became the first men to cross the Antarctic circle.
  • First person to land on the continent

    First person to land on the continent

    U.S. Capt. John Davis makes first known landing on the continent at Hughes Bay on Antarctic Peninsula.
  • Plant life found

    Plant life found

    Carsten Borchgrevink found lichen, the first sign of plant life
  • First crew to survive Antarctic winter

    First crew to survive Antarctic winter

    Adrien de Gerlache in the 'Belgica' became trapped in the ice and were the first to survive an Antarctic winter.
  • Unsuccessful attempt to walk to South Pole

    Unsuccessful attempt to walk to South Pole

    Scott and Shackleton and three other men attemted to walk to the South Pole and were unsuccsessful
  • Race to the South Pole

    Race to the South Pole

    Race to the South Pole! Roald Amundsen was the first man to lead a successful expedition to the South Pole.
  • First permanent settlement

    First permanent settlement

    The first permanent settlements "scientific stations“ were established in early 1940s
  • The Antarctic Treaty is formed

    The Antarctic Treaty is formed

    The Antarctic Treaty, an international agreement, was signed by many nations in Washington on 1 December 1959, who pledged to use Antarctica only for peaceful scientific studies. The treaty came into force on 23 June 1961.