Roald Amundsen
Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer who focused on the poles. He led the first expedition to reach the South Pole and the first that could prove it made it to the North Pole. Amundsen was also the first man known to travel the Northwest Passage.
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| Born | Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen 16 July 1872[1] Borge, Østfold, Norway |
| Disappeared | 18 June 1928 (aged 55) Barents Sea |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Occupation | Explorer |
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Life
When Amundsen was young, he decided he would use his life to explore the wilderness. He was inspired by the lives of Fridtjof Nansen and John Franklin.[2] While his mother was alive he did not go to sea, to keep a promise to her. After her death, he quit university to begin exploring the world at 21 years old.[3]
In 1897, he went on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition as first mate. This was the first expedition to stay over winter at Antarctica, since their ship got stuck in the ice preventing them from leaving.
In 1903, Amundsen led the first expedition to make it through the Northwest Passage.[4]
In October 1911, he began his expedition to Antarctica with four other men in attempt to be the first man to reach the South Pole.[5] Robert Falcon Scott, an explorer from Britain, arrived in Antarctica with his own team only days after Amundsen. Both explorers raced to the South Pole, but Amundsen and his men used skis and dog sleds for transportation. This was more efficient. On 14 December 1911, Amundsen successfully became the first man to reach the South Pole.[6]
In 1926, Amundsen and his men made it to the North Pole.[7] Three other expeditions claimed to make it before then, but their claims have not been verified. Two of them have been considered fraud.[8] This may make Amundsen and his men the first to reach the North Pole.
He disappeared in June 1928 while taking part in a rescue mission.
Gallery
Roald Amundsen
Maud in June 1918
Captain Roald Amundsen at the wheel
Norwegian flag at the South Pole
Roald Amundsen in Svalbard (1925)
Related pages
References
Other websites
Media related to Roald Amundsen at Wikimedia Commons
Quotations related to Roald Amundsen at Wikiquote- Roald Amundsen at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- The Fram Museum (Frammuseet) (Named after one of Amundsen's ships)
- DIO vol.10 2000 Amundsen's record of polar firsts
- Roald Amundsen at Find a Grave
- Works by Roald Amundsen at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Roald Amundsen at Internet Archive
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