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History of Antarctica

  • Antarctic Discovery

    On January 17th 1773, Captain James Cook travelled cross the Anatrctic Circle for the very first time. During his journey he discovered nearby islands, but did not see Antarctica itself. It has been said that he was as close as 150 miles from the mainland.
  • Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen

    In 1819, Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen a Russian navl officer, that circumnavigates the Antarctic. He was also the first to cross the Antarctic circle ever since Captain James Cook.
  • First known landing

    On Febraury 7th 1821, the first known landing on Antarctica was by an American sealer named, Captain John Davis.
  • Discovered Sea

    On the 1st January 1823, an Englishman named, James Weddell had discovered a sea named after him. He sails 74 degrees south. No one else manages to pententrate the Weddell sea bears again for 80 years.
  • expeditions

    On January 1st 1840, a British, French and an American expeditions were establish the status of Antarctica as a continent after sailing along the continuous coastline. A british naval officer and scientist James Clark Ross toke two ships, called the Erebus and Terror, within 80 miles of the coast line.
  • antarctic winter

    In March, Adrein de Gerlache and his crew had become the first to survive an Antarctic winter.
  • first expedition to the south pole

    Captain Robert Falcon Scott leads his first expedition to try to be the first person to reach the South Pole.
  • Henry Shackleton

    Henry Shackleton leads an expedition to the South pole, but turns back after the supplies are exhausted.
  • Douglas reaches the south Magnetic pole

    Douglas Mawson an Australian explorer reaches the South Magnetic Pole.
  • five man expedition

    On December 14th 1911, Roald Amundsen leads a five man expedition that reaches the south pole for the first time.
  • Captain Robert Falcon Scott reachesthe south pole to discover he has been beaten by Amundesen

    On January 18th 1912, Captain Robert Falcon Scott reaches the South Pole to discover he has been beaten by Amundesen. All of the five men team (Scott, Bowers, Evans, Oates and Wilson) are to perish on the return journey just eleven miles from supply depot.
  • Henry Shackleton returns to Antarctica

    On October 1915, Henry Shackleton returns to Antarctica in an attempt to acomplish the first crossing of the continent. Their ship was crushed in the ice sea.
  • whaling

    On Setember 16th 1923, it was the beginning of a large-scale factory ship whalingin the Ross Sea.
  • first to fly over antarctica

    On June 4th 1928, Australian Sir George Wilkins and American Carl Benjamin Elelson, are the first to fly over Antarctica around the peninsula region.
  • first woman to fly over the continent

    On September 16th 1935, Lincoln Ellsworth -US- flies across the continent. Caroline Mikkelsen, is the first woman to set foot on Antarctica, when she accompanies her husband who is a whaling captain.
  • largest expedition

    In 1947, Operation Highjump -US- sends the largest ever expedition with over 4700 men, 13 ships and 23airplanes to Antarctica.
  • International Geophysical Year

    On July 1st 1957, it was International Geophysical Year. 12 nations establish over 60 stations in Antarctica.
  • Vivian Fuchs

    On January 20th 1958, Vivian Fuchs and an expeditionary party had reached the South Pole, with motor vehicles and sledge dogs.
  • First person to cross Antarctica unsupported

    On 1997, Boerge Ousland, from Norway, becomes the first person to cross Antarctica unsupported.
  • International Polar Year

    On March 2007, it was International Polar Year. It spans two years in order that the researches get the opportunity to work in both Polar regions, or work in Summer or Winter if they want.