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Captain James Cook
Captain James Cook and his crew become the first men to cross the Antarctic Circle. -
Period: to
1773 to !959
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Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen
Russian Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen becomes the first person to see the Antarctic continent. -
John Davis
American sailor John Davis arguably becomes the first person to land on the continent. From Connecticut, Davis had been searching the South Shetlands for seals. -
James Weddell
Englishman James Weddell sails to 74 degrees south. This is the farthest south yet reached and the penetrated sea bears his name today. Except for possibly Morrell, no one is able to penetrate this sea again for eighty years. -
Frenchman Jules-Sebastian Dumont d'Urville
Frenchman Jules-Sebastian Dumont d'Urville discovers a stretch of Antarctic coastline which he promptly names for his wife, Adélie. -
Henryk Bull
lands in the Antarctic at Cape Adare. A member of the party, Carsten Borchgrevink, finds lichen on an offshore island becoming the first signs of plant life. -
Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson and Ernest Shackleton
1902: In November Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson and Ernest Shackleton strike out for the South Pole. Leaving McMurdo Sound heading south across the Ross Ice Shelf, two months later they find themselves at 82 degrees south suffering from snow blindness and scurvy. Forced to return home, they nonetheless cover 3100 miles. -
Ernest Shackleton, Frank Wild, Eric Marshall and Jameson Adams
1908: In October, explorers attempt to reach the South Pole. Within 30 days they have surpassed Scotts effort in 1903. Reaching within 97 nautical miles, the group is severely ill and undernourished requiring them to abandon their attempt on the pole. -
Edgeworth David, Douglas Mawson and Alistair McKay
Edgeworth David, Douglas Mawson and Alistair McKay reach the South Magnetic Pole. -
Ernest Shackleton
At the age of 48, Ernest Shackleton dies of a heart attack. On board the QUEST at the time, Shackleton is buried at South Georgia -
Lincoln Ellsworth
American Lincoln Ellsworth is the first to successfully fly across the continent. -
twelve leading nations
the twelve leading nations participating in the IGY sign the "Antarctic Treaty" in Washington, DC. The treaty was framed as an agreement so the continent "shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes". The treaty came into effect in 1961 and guarantees access and scientific research in all territory south of 60° latitude.