Antarctica

By Natty11
  • 350 BCE

    The Ancient Greeks first come up with an idea about Antarctica

    The ancient Greeks knew about the Arctic- Arktos, and decided that there should be another cold land mass at the bottom of the Earth to make it even. It was the same but the opposite- 'Ant' Arktos. They never travelled there, it was just a lucky guess.

  • Captain James Cook crosses the Arctic Circle

    He circumnavigates Antarctica, though he doesn't see any land. His opinion and what he said- "I make bold to declare that the world will derive no benefit from it".
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    Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen is the first to circumnavigate the Antarctic since Cook

    He also sights land and described it as- an icefield covered with small hillocks.

  • The first known landing on Antarctica is made by Captain John Davis

    They had to stay in Antarctica in the winter of 1821, and it was the first known time ever a party had walked on the continent.
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    British, French and American expeditions name Antarctica as a continent.

    All these voyages were separate but they all established and referred to Antarctica as a continent after sailing along continuous coastline.

  • Adrien de Gerlache and the crew of the "Belgica" become trapped in pack ice off the Antarctic Peninsula

    They were in the first scientific expedition to Antarctica and became the first people to survive an Antarctic Winter.

  • Captain Scott leads his first expedition to Antarctica to try and be the first people to reach the South Pole

    Unfortunately though, after two months they had to turn back because they were suffering from snow blindness and scurvy.

  • The South Magnetic Pole is reached

    Douglas Mawson travels on and expedition to the South POle but instead reaches the South Magnetic Pole.

  • The South Pole is reached for the first time ever

    Norwegian Roald Amundsen leads a five man expedition hoping to reach the south pole, and they ended up getting there and being the first people ever to reach it.

  • Ernest Shakleton attempts to be the first person ever to cross Antarctica

    He returns to Antarctica as he wants to complete the first crossing of the continent. But sadly, his goal is not achieved,

  • The peninsula region in Antarctica is flown over for the first time

    Australian Sir Hubert Wilkins and American Carl Benjamin Eielson fly over the Peninsula region for the first time ever.

  • The South Pole is flown over

    Richard E. Byrd and three others from the US are the first people ever to fly over the South Pole.

  • First women to travel to Anarctica

    Caroline Mikkelsen, Norway is the first women ever to set foot on Antarctica when she was accompanying her husband, a whaling captain.

  • The US US- sends the largest ever expedition to Antarctica

    It is called operation highjump and over 4700 men, 13 ships and 23 airplanes were sent over. Alot of photos were taken of the coast for map making.
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    International Geophysical Year- 12 nations establish over 60 stations in Antarctica

    It is the start of an international cooperation for Antarctica and the process of Antarctica being 'non-national' starts.

  • Antarctic Treaty

    The Antarctic Treaty is established and takes place with twelve countries signing and agreeing to it.
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    International Polar Year

    International Polar Year takes place. It actually lasted for two years so scientists got the opportunity to work in both Polar regions or in both Summer and Winter if they wanted to.