Introduction

How to Use Antarctica: 90 Degrees South

Did You Know?

Exploration

Timeline

Glossary

Literature Connection

Maps

Antarctica: 90 Degrees South Credits

Timeline

1599 Dirk Gerritsz (Dutch) rounds Cape Horn and is blown off course; spots South Shetland Islands
1606 The Dutch team thinks it has found southern continent but it is actually Australia
1642 Abel Tasman (Dutch) discovers New Zealand (Tasmania named after him)
1773 James Cook (English) crosses Antarctic circle and circumnavigates Antarctica
1800 Seal harvesting begins
1820 William Smith and Edward Bransfield are first to sight continent
1821 John Davis (American) is first to set foot on continent
1822 Thaddeus von Bellingshausen (Russian): Antarctica is officially discovered
1823 James Wendell (English) discovers the sea that will be named after him
1840 James Clark Ross (English) travels to within 80 miles of the coast; discovers Ross Ice Shelf and Mt. Erebus volcano
1902 Captain Scott (English) leads first expedition to get close to the South Pole
1907 Ernest Shackleton (English) gets to within 97 miles of the South Pole
1909 Douglas Mawson reaches magnetic South Pole
1911 Roald Amundson (Norwegian) leads first expedition to reach South Pole
1911 Cook reaches South Pole one month behind Amundson
1915 Shackleton returns to complete first crossing of Antarctica an amazing adventure
1928 Richard Bird (American) is first to fly over the South Pole
1935 Caroline Mikkelsen (Norway) is first woman to set foot on Antarctica
1947 Operation Highjump US mounts largest expedition to South Pole
1956 US lands an aircraft at Antarctica
1957 Named International Geophysical Year; 12 nations establish 60 stations
1957 Edmund Hillary (New Zealand) and Vivian Fuchs (English) make first successful land crossing
1961 Antarctic Treaty goes into effect
1961 Boerge Ousland (Norway) is first to cross Antarctica unsupported

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