antarctic history

1st sighting

Jan 27, 1820

Fabian von Bellingshausen (a Russian Naval Officer), with companies aboard Vostok and Mirnyy, sighted the Antarctic continent at about 69•35°S [77•06gS] off Dronning Maud Land.

john davis

Jan 1, 1821

john davis landed on antarctica

james weddel

Feb 20, 1823

British whaler James Weddell discovered the sea named after him. He went on to reach the most southerly point at that time 74° 15' S

Charles Wilkie proved that Antarctica is a continent

Jan 1, 1838

1838-1842, American Lieutenant Charles Davies led the US Exploring Expedition and discovered that Antarctica is very big and proved that it is a continent. Wilkes Land in the eatern part of the Antarctica is named after him.

james ross

Feb 23, 1843

British naval officer James Clark Ross took two ships, the Erebus and the Terror, to within 80 miles of the coast until stopped by a massive ice barrier, it is now called the Ross Ice Shelf after him. He also discovered the active volcano which he named after his ship Erebus,

Carl Anton Larsen the 1st person ski on Antarctica

Dec 7, 1893

In December 1893 Carl Larsen a Norwegian-British Antarctic explorer became the first person to ski in Antarctica on the Larsen Ice Shelf which was subsequently named after him. He is also considered the founder of the Antarctic whaling industry.

first base

Dec 19, 1903

Dr William S. Bruce's Scottish National Antarctic Expedition established the first base camp on the Antarctic

british

Jan 1, 1911

a british trip to the south pole

scott

Jul 15, 1912

scott died on his way back from Antarctica

antarctic treaty

Dec 1, 1959

12 countries signed the Antarctic treaty which regulates the international relations with regard to Antarctica. It is officially enter into force on 23/6/1962.

captain cook

Jan 1, 1973

In January, Captain James Cook and his crew become the first men to cross the Antarctic Circle.

baby

Jul 15, 1987

first baby born on Antarctica