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The History of Oceanography

By JDeHaan
  • Jan 1, 1002

    Vikings

    Vikings
    Leif Ericson and the Vikings explore westward and find Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
  • Jan 1, 1410

    Chinese Exploration

    Chinese Exploration
    The Chinese build very advanced ships and meet new societies around their region. Soon after the Chinese realize that the other civilizations have nothing greater to offer to China and stop exploring.
  • Jan 1, 1488

    Bartolomeu Dias

    Bartolomeu Dias
    Bartolomeu Dias becomes the first European to sail around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa.
  • Jan 1, 1492

    Christopher Columbus

    Christopher Columbus
    While trying to find a western route to India Christopher Columbus finds North America.
  • Jan 1, 1500

    Amerigo Vespucci

    Amerigo Vespucci
    Amerigo Vespucci was one of the first explorers to discover South America. It is believed that the Americas are named after him.
  • Jan 1, 1522

    Ferdinand Magellan

    Ferdinand Magellan
    Ferdinand Magellan captained the first ship to circumnavigate the globe. However before his voyage was over he was killed and eaten by cannibals in the Philippines.

  • First Submarine

    First Submarine
    Cornelis Drebbel builds the world's first submarine made of wood with iron and leather. The vessel could reach 4-5 m underwater.

  • James Cook

    James Cook
    James Cook was the first person to use a chronometer to accurately find his latitude and longitude at sea.

  • Continental Shelf

    Continental Shelf
    Coast Survey soundings discover a continental shelf break off the east coast of the United States.

  • The Challenger Expedition

    The Challenger Expedition
    The Challenger Expedition was the first nautical expedition for the purpose of surveying the studying the ocean. This voyage covered nearly 130,000 km. This voyage laid the groundwork for the field of oceanography.

  • Titanic Sinks

    Titanic Sinks
    After running into an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. Over 1500 people are killed.

  • Meteor

    Meteor
    The Germans sent a study vessel called Meteor to research the Atlantic Ocean and it found the mid-Atlantic ridge.

  • Woods Hole Oceanographic

    Woods Hole Oceanographic
    Woods Hole Oceanographic is founded. It will later become one of the largest oceanographic research facilities in the world.

  • Mariana Trench

    Mariana Trench
    Mariana Trench found in the Pacific Ocean by the British ship Challenger Deep. The Mariana Trench is confirmed to by the deepest point in the ocean.

  • IGY

    IGY
    The IGY (International Geophysical Year) organization was established in 1957 and went until 1958. The IGY contained 67 different countries, which helped study the geology of earth. This also included exploring much of the ocean floor.

  • Deep Sea Drilling

    Deep Sea Drilling
    Deep sea drilling began. People found many natural resources in the ocean and decided to take advantage of these resources.

  • NOAA

    NOAA
    President Richard Nixon establishes NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

  • Titanic Found

    Titanic Found
    With the help of a robotic submarine named Jason, Robert Ballard finds the wreck of the Titanic 2.5 miles underwater.

  • TOPEX/Poseidon

    TOPEX/Poseidon
    The TOPEX/Poseidon satellite was launched to map the topography of he ocean.