Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach both poles – a very significant achievement considering the technology and knowledge available at the time. There are many aspects that both parties had to consider in preparing for the journey – an analysis of the weather conditions, land, soil type, flora and faunae, and route to be taken, as well as the logistics involved in packing necessary clothing, food, scientific and navigational equipment, and what to pack this on to – since the type of transportation utilized is a very crucial decision in exploration. Through an examination of his two expeditions to the south and north poles – in comparison to the unsuccessful attempt by Scott – we can identify the reasons behind Amundsen’s success, namely his ability to utilize the technologies most capably suited to his task. Although both explorers utilized technology to a high degree, it was Amundsen that, through his understanding of the climate and conditions, made the right choices in his selection of tools and techniques for the trip. It is specifically decisions made in three key categories that allowed for the successful attempt: the transportation technology (and its effectiveness in arctic climates), the technologies employed to sustain life (including nourishment, shelter and clothing), and lastly, the technologies of navigation that made it possible to reach the pole itself.
Through Scott’s documentation of the voyage and preparations, it is known that he went to great lengths to construct and procure a myriad of technologies and enhancements for the expedition (Langner, 2). His primary focus, was the ship itself: it was constructed with both sail and steam power in order to better navigate the narrow, treacherous stretches of w...
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...rasted significantly to Scott’s unwise and at times irrational decisions. Furthermore, contrasts are evident in the two explorers’ food and life sustaining technologies. Amundsen once again demonstrated a superior choice in technologies, which were more appropriate for the environment, at times opting for low-tech, Inuit techniques and technologies. Scott, in his faith in English solutions, was considerably less able to cope with the effects of the climate. Conclusively, Amundsen demonstrated that he had planned the journey remarkably well, calculating for all of the minute details of a first successful expedition to the South Pole.
Works Cited
Amundsen, Roald. The South Pole. New York: New York University Press, 2001.
Langner, Rainier. Scott and Amundsen. City: Haus Publishers Ltd, 2007.
Scott, Robert. Scott’s Last Expedition. City: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.
This discovery was made by the Scandinavian explorer Hans Egede, 300 years ago when he went out in search of the lost Greenland colonies. Although Hans was unsuccessful at finding the lost colonies he did find the local Inuit. He recorded in his ship’s log his interaction with them. The ship’s log tells many oral stories from the Inuit people claiming that their Thule ancestors fought the Norse Vikings for their iron and ultimately killed them off. Hans Egede ship’s log also confirms that the Thule were great survivors and warriors, whilst being directly related to the modern day Inuit. Niobe Thompson concludes that the Thule odyssey ended in Greenland right when the Inuit odyssey began. Even though the Thule journey ended their traditions and ways of survival are still used in Inuit communities
Sails furled, flag drooping at her rounded stern, she rode the tide in from the sea. She was a strange ship, indeed, by all accounts, a frightening ship, a ship of mystery. Whether she was trader, privateer, or man-of-war no one knows. Through her bulwarks black-mouthed cannon yawned. The flag she flew was Dutch; her crew a motley. Her port of call, an English settlement, Jamestown, in the colony of Virginia. She came, she traded, and shortly afterwards was gone. Probably no ship in modern history has carried a more portentous freight. Her cargo? Twenty slaves.
Web. 19 Aug 2013.Holmgren, Virginia C. "The Unheralded Story of Columbus." Sea Frontiers. Feb. 1992: 34-41. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Aug 2013.
In November, 1911, Captain Falcon Robert Scott led a British team across the snows of Antarctica, striving to be the first to attain the South Pole. After marching and hauling over 800 miles, Scott and his four comrades reached the Pole in Jan, 1912, only to find out that Amundsen’s team (five Norwegians) had achieved the goal a month earlier. Scott, Wilson, Oates, Bowers and Evans, all perished in the ice on the return journey, but became national heroes, because of the selfless, sacrifice for the others and their heroic action to the Pole. Their race against the Norwegians to be the first reaches the Pole, laid the foundation of one of Antarctica’s most tragic legends.
As they closer and closer to the North Pole the men we getting tired but something in Plaisted made every man want to keep going. On there trip the men had to overcome wind speeds up to 60 mph and cracks in the ice up to 4 ft wide. Then one day in may of 1967 the wind and cracked ice was just to much to overcome and the men had to turn back, Although the next year with careful planning and no fear Plaisted took off on this expedition again. As Kuralt stayed back in Cedar Rapids, IA over the radio to Plaisted he asked. “ Where is you location?” and Plaisted reported back, “ Ninety degrees north!”
In 1914, a great leader began a great expedition, unbeknownst to him that instead of being known as great explorers, they would be known as some of the greatest survivors. This man was Sir Ernest Shackelton and he was determined to be the first to cross the Antarctic. Little did he know, his biggest challenge would end up being his ability to lead his team to survival. He also had no idea that their tale of strength, determination, and courage to survive would influence people well into the 21st century, and the book detailing their stories would be used as a model of leadership. As our group read this book, it was evident that Shackleton was a truly motivated and successful leader as we have come to understand one to be. His ability to successfully lead a team played a significant role in their survival.
explorers tried to figure out who was right and who was wrong. They waited the
According to Alfred Lansing, author of Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, was in late 1914, on his way to Antarctica, the Endurance landed in the fishing settlement of South Georgia island, the last bit of land they would encounter for the next 2 years. Several of the Norwegian whaling skippers had warned Shackleton that the ice conditions near his Antarctic destination were the worst they’d seen in years. Shackleton was faced with an “Ethical Dilemma,” and faced to “…choose between two alternatives (both alternatives can be unfavorable and/or less right or less wrong and more wrong),” as defined by Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education [BCEE] (2017). Having to abort his expedition would have meant quelling his “Drive for Success” and extinguishing the hopes of his crew. He utilized the “Universal Intellectual Standards” of “Clarity, Depth, and Precision” (BCEE), by consulting with one of the best polar ice navigators and Norwegian harpooners in the fleet. He weighed his option to turn around against the uncertainty of ice condition and decided to press forward. Alfred Lansing, author of Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, also goes on to describe how to fund his expedition to cross Antarctica, Shackleton raised more than $175,000 through selling future rights to books, movies, and lectures as well as earning donations from governments,
The Endurance, the vessel carrying the men and the title of the expedition, was named by Shackleton after his family motto?Fortitudine Vincimus (By endurance we conquer) (Perkins 41). To relate the significant factors of Shackleton?s leadership during the Endurance expedition, it is necessary to summarize the timeline of the events. A chronological timeline of the expedition is included at the end of this paper.
Mawson’s Adversities Phineas Gage, Henrietta Lacks, and Douglas Mawson are people who faced many different challenges, some on purpose and some accidentally, to contribute to science. Phineas Gage had an iron rod shoot through his head, Henrietta Lacks who had scientist take cells out of her body without her permission, and Douglas Mawson faced many difficulties on such a brutal journey through Antarctica. Even though all of these people have gone through some incredible things, there is one who faced more adversity and stood out from the rest, and that is Douglas Mawson. One reason why Douglas Mawson faced the most adversity is because he lost a lot on his journey (as seen in “Into the Unknown”).
For the purposes of this discussion we will focus on the lives of the Inuit. The Inuit are a group of people often mischaracterized as Eskimos. They lived in the area of central and northeastern Canada and Greenland. There has been much discussion of the orignination of this group of people but the most recognized theory is that they crossed from northern Asia across thin bridge of land over the Bering Strait sometime around 6000-2000 BC. Many people mistakenly think that the Inuit and Native Americans are one in the same. It seems that the Inuit most likely came from Asia more likely than the Native Americans. Although both probably came to the Americas through the Bering Strait. Biological, cultural and dialect differences show the different origin. Much of this theory is supported due to the close resemblance of the Inuit to the Mongoloid races of Eastern Asia. Because of the harsh land and climate of the Arctic, this area was probably one of the last regions to be inhabited making the Inuit on of the earth’s younger cultures.
Vasco Da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan are two very important European explorers who are recognized for their huge discoveries. This paper answers questions about the lives and voyages of these famous explorers. My sources for this paper are two books on Da Gama and two books on Magellan from Schaumburg Library. These four sources are listed on the Works Cited page. Photocopies of the title pages of these books are included as attachments to this paper.
To start with, McCandless was not someone who gave up. Despite others trying to scare him out of continuing with his journey into the Alaskan wilderness, nothing deterred McCandless. He anxiously awaited to experience life off the land. The people McCandless encountered on his way to Alaska often commented on his determination. Jim Gallien, a man who drove McCandless into the Alaska interior, described McCandless as “real gung-ho”. McCandless's attempt to undertake such a risky endeavour is something to admire in itself. To travel two years, mostly on foot, is certainly not an easy task. However, McCandless still persevered through the hardships he faced throughout his journey. McCandles...
I am writing my first entry aboard this incredible vessel today, primarily because I have been spending the last three days exploring the sections open to my fellow third-class passengers and I. What I have seen is extraordinary, especially when first boarding the ship. The halls and staircases of the first class section were like nothing I had ever seen before in my life. They were blanketed in luxury from end to end. The first class passengers I had managed to see wore their best garments boarding the ship and were conversing with each other about their rich lives back home. I believe I even saw Mr. John Jacob Astor, a man I had heard much about for his contributions to the American fur trade. I had heard that he would be aboard for the maiden voyage of ...
In the excerpt “Stickeen”, John Muir describes his experience of exploring the icy region of Alaska terrain in 1880. The author talks about his perils and hardships he encountered while trekking the Alaska region. He also recounts his relationship with the four legged companion named Stickeen, who was brought along by one of the author’s companion, Rev. S.H. Young, to the expedition.