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First men to cross the Antarctic Circle!
Captain Cook and his crew become the first men to cross the Antarctic Circle. The ships also became the first known to have crossed the Antarctic Circle. -
Discovery of Maquarie Island!
Australian Frederick Hasselborough discovers Macquarie Island while searching for new sealing grounds. -
First person to see the Antarctic continent
Russian Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen becomes the first person to see the Antarctic continent. -
1st Known landing on continental Antarctica
Antarctic exploration was bad news for seals.1st known landing on continental Antarctica by American sealer Captain John Davis, though this is not acknowledged by all historians. -
Weddell discovers sea named after himself
British whaler James Weddell discovers the sea named after him and then reaches the most southerly point at that time 74° 15' S. No one else manages to penetrate the Weddell sea again for 80 years. -
Man finds first sighting of Antarctica from Indian Ocean zone
Englishman John Biscoe, an employee of the British sealing business "Enderby Brothers", discovers Enderby Land, the first sighting of Antarctica from the Indian Ocean zone. -
Frenchman finds some Antarctica
Frenchman Jules-Sebastian Dumont d'Urville discovers a stretch of Antarctic coastline which he promptly names for his wife, Adélie. -
Man discovers Victoria Land and other famous places
Under Sir James Clark Ross in EREBUS and TERROR, search for the South Magnetic Pole has been ordered by the British Royal Navy. He discovers Victoria Land and enters the sea which is known famously now as the Ross Sea. He discovers Ross Island, Mt. Erebus and the Ross Ice Shelf. -
Man finds first signs of plant life
Henryk Bull lands in the Antarctic at Cape Adare. A member of the party, Carsten Borchgrevink, finds lichen on an offshore island becoming the first signs of plant life. -
Men make to the South Pole
Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson and Ernest Shackleton strike out for the South Pole. Leaving McMurdo Sound heading south across the Ross Ice Shelf, two months later they find themselves at 82 degrees south suffering from snow blindness and scurvy. Forced to return home, they nonetheless cover 3100 miles. -
The First Japanese Antarctic Expedition
The first Japanese Antarctic Expedition sails south led by Lt. Nobu Shirase and lands at the Bay of Whales. -
Roald Amundsen reach the South Pole
Norwegian Roald Amundsen and four team members reach the South Pole. Amundsen discovered a new route which took only 57 days. Letters are left for Scott, a Norwegian flag planted and then they return to the Bay of Whales. -
Four Men Reach South Pole
Robert F. Scott, Edward Wilson, Edgar Evans and Lawrence Oates reach the South Pole. Unfortunately, Amundsen had already been there and left a flag marking the spot. Terribly discouraged after a tortuous journey, all members perish on the return trip. Scott, Wilson and Bowers die in their tent after using up all fuel and food. The three are not discovered until November. -
Scott's Party give up hope
Scott's Northern Party give up hope of the TERRA NOVA arriving to pick them up before winter sets in. The six men must dig a cave out of a snow bank where they live for six months on penguin and seal meat. -
Scott died on his way back to his ship
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Shackleton returns to Antarctica
Ernest Shackleton returns to Antarctica in an attempt to complete the first crossing of the continent. The goal is not attained, but one of the greatest adventures of all time follows. Their ship is crushed in the sea ice and a small party sets out for South Georgia and the whaling station. The party is eventually rescued in 1917. -
The first to successfully fly across Antarctica
American Lincoln Ellsworth is the first to successfully fly across the continent. -
First permanent settlement happened
First permanent settlement happened around this time -
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International Geophysical Year (IGY)
12 nations establish over 60 stations in Antarctica. The beginning of international cooperation in Antarctica and the start of the process by which Antarctica becomes "non-national". -
The first successful land crossing
The first successful land crossing via the South Pole is led by British geologist Vivian Fuchs with New Zealander Edmund Hillary leading the back up party, over 40 years after Shackleton's expedition set out with the same aim.
