Who Discovered the Northwest Passage?
In 1855 a parliamentary committee concluded that Robert McClure deserved to be rewarded as the discoverer of a Northwest Passage. Since then, various writers have put forward rival claims on behalf of Sir John Franklin, John Rae, and Roald Amundsen. This article examines the process of 19th-century...
| Published in: | ARCTIC |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
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The Arctic Institute of North America
2018
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.14430/arctic4733 https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/download/67771/51667 |
| Summary: | In 1855 a parliamentary committee concluded that Robert McClure deserved to be rewarded as the discoverer of a Northwest Passage. Since then, various writers have put forward rival claims on behalf of Sir John Franklin, John Rae, and Roald Amundsen. This article examines the process of 19th-century European exploration in the Arctic Archipelago, the definition of discovering a passage that prevailed at the time, and the arguments for and against the various contenders. It concludes that while no one explorer was “the” discoverer, McClure’s achievement deserves reconsideration. |
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