Antarctica
Douglas Mawson and 2 other people became to first people to reach the South Magnetic Pole in 1909.
On the 14th of December 1912 Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, became the first person to reach the Antarctic. Amundsen won the race to the South Pole between himself and the British explorer Robert Scott. Roald got to the South Pole 5 weeks before Scott. Roald Amunsden left the British a flag and a tent for Robert Scott to find when he arrived. On the difficult journey back home Robert and all the men who travelled with him sadly died.
In 1926 at the age 54 Roald travelled to the North Pole by hot air balloon and became the first person to travel to both Poles.
In 1926 at the age 54 Roald travelled to the North Pole by hot air balloon and became the first person to travel to both Poles.
While exploring the Antarctic many ships got trapped in the ice and the people on board had to wait weeks and sometimes years for someone to find them.
Arctic
In 330 AD a Greek explorer named Pytheas the Massaliot discovered the Faroe Islands in an oared galley.
Captain James Cook was the first person to cross the Antarctic circle in January 1773. Captain Cook circumnavigated the continent but never once saw the continent of Antarctica.
In 982 AD Greenland was discovered by a Viking by the name of Erik the Red.
In the 16th century sailors tried to find a way to travell through the Arctic Sea ice so that it would be easier to trade with countries on the other side of the world.
Many people died in the attempt to find away across the frozen Arctic Ocean.
In 1597 a Dutchman named Willem Barents discovered in Spitbergen but died in the attempt to cross the Arctic Ocean.
In 1607 Henry Hudson, a Englishman, sailed to 1065km away from the North Pole.
Vitus Bering crossed the stretch of ocean between America and Asia and named it the Bering Strait after himself. Vitus died in 1741 after he had named the strait.
Many people died in the attempt to find away across the frozen Arctic Ocean.
In 1597 a Dutchman named Willem Barents discovered in Spitbergen but died in the attempt to cross the Arctic Ocean.
In 1607 Henry Hudson, a Englishman, sailed to 1065km away from the North Pole.
Vitus Bering crossed the stretch of ocean between America and Asia and named it the Bering Strait after himself. Vitus died in 1741 after he had named the strait.
Fridtjof Nansen was the Norwegian man who first discovered the main glacial ice sheet of the Arctic in the years between 1893 and 1896. Fridtjof came within 364km of the North Pole.
In 1909 Robert Peary and American explorer claimed to have reached the North Pole.
In 1958 a nuclear submarine from the US called USS Nautilus passed under the North Pole. It was the first submarine to do so.
On March 17, 1959 a nuclear submarine called the USS Skate surfaced at the North Pole.