Foundations of Social Studies
HISTORY
EXPLORATION
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around an area for the purpose of discovery. It is the
investigation of unknown regions or an organized trip into unfamiliar places. There can be many
different motives for exploration. Sometimes the motive is practical – to find better land or seize
new land. Sometimes the motive is enquiry – what is out there? How can we get there? These
motives have sent explorers to every part of the planet.
Thousands of years ago people knew very little about what existed more than a few miles away
from their homes. They had no need to travel far because they grew their own food and made all
the things they used each day. As civilization developed people had the idea of trading with other
groups of people. This is probably what first led people to explore. The act of exploring new lands
was a dangerous undertaking. It required bravery, planning, the ability to learn and adapt to new
people, places and things.
1100 BCE to 700 BCE. Some of the earliest people to go exploring in search of trading partners were
the Phoenicians. They lived along the Mediterranean coast in the area that is Israel today. They built
ships and explored the whole Mediterranean Sea and began trading throughout the region.
About this same time it is believed that the people living on islands in the Pacific Ocean began
exploring. They were skilled navigators and built canoes to cross the oceans. They carried plants and
animals with them to begin settlements on new islands. There is evidence to show that Polynesians
had reached South America by 1000 CE.
350 BCE to 500 BCE. Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia (part of Greece today). He was
a great explorer. He and his army explored and conquered a huge area which stretched from Greece
to Egypt and to India. Alexander wanted to increase his influence and spread the Greek culture
throughout Asia.
500 CE to 600 CE. Arab explorers were active at this time. They explored and conquered areas from
Spain, across North Africa and into India in the 6th and 7th centuries CE. There were two main
reasons for their expansion: first, they wanted to spread the religion of Islam; and second, Arab
merchants were looking for new trading partners. They travelled over the desert areas on camels.
Eventually they began crossing Indian Ocean in boats called dhows. They traded silks, spices and
jewels. They also took gold, ivory and slaves from East Africa.
700 CE to 1200 CE. The Vikings were explorers who struck fear into the hearts of the people living in
Europe in the early Middle Ages. They were searching for treasure and slaves as they raided
European villages. The land in Scandinavia was not good for farming so Vikings also crossed the
Atlantic Ocean searching for new lands where they could settle. They are credited with discovering
Iceland, Greenland, and the northern coast of Canada.
1400s -1600s. This period of time is often called the Age of Exploration. Europeans from many
countries made voyages across the sea to explore the Americas. A country could increase its power
and influence by acquiring new lands and territories. There was competition between Portugal,
Spain, Italy, England, France and the Dutch, to explore and claim new lands.
1700s -1800s.This period of time saw a switch from sea voyages to overland expeditions. The focus
became mapping and settling the interior of the Americas. Explorers such as Lewis and Clark, John
C. Fremont, Alexander Mackenzie and Charles Wilkes made the settlement of North America
possible. They provided information about the land, climate, vegetation and native peoples.
Very little was known by Europeans about the interior of Africa until the 1800s. Explorers had
ignored it mainly because it was such a dangerous place. Tropical diseases that could kill humans
were common, as well as dangerous animals, and African tribes who were hostile to outsiders. All
kept the European explorers away. By 1850 there were advances in medicines and weapons that
made it possible for explorers to make their way into all areas of Africa. Explorers followed the
rivers and crossed the deserts and pushed through the jungles to learn all they could about the
continent.
1900s. The Polar regions were some of the last to be explored. These areas have such harsh
climates and dangerous conditions that many early explorers died during expeditions. On April 6,
1909 the first team of explorers reached the North Pole. Robert Perry, a U.S. naval officer, led them.
Mapping the Arctic region, collecting rock samples, and reporting on wildlife were the goals of the
expedition. Because of extreme weather conditions it took many years for explorers to completely
map the area and gather all the information.
Many explorers wanted to be the first to reach the South Pole. Very little was known about
Antarctica- it was a huge land with a harsh climate. On December 14, 1911 a team of Norwegian
explorers led by Roald Amundsen were the first to reach the South Pole. A British team led by
Robert Scott reached the pole on January 17, 1912. The British team was so exhausted and
weakened that none of them returned to their base camp alive. The exploration of Antarctica was a
deadly job. Today countries from all over the world carry on the work of mapping and collecting
scientific data from Antarctica.
New Worlds to Explore
As technologies develop, we are able to explore farther into space and discover new worlds.
The age of space exploration began in 1957, when the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into
orbit around the earth. Since then, there has been an increasing push by nations to explore our
solar system. There are many reasons for this exploration, they include:
 Advancing scientific research
 Uniting different nations
 Developing military and strategic advantages against other countries
Nearly three-quarters of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Underwater exploration requires
specialized equipment and vehicles that can stand the water pressure at great depths. The interest
to explore underwater lies in the possibilities this world holds. Discoveries there might lead to new
medicines. Answers to questions about the geologic history of the planet could be found on the sea
floor. There is still much to be discovered as explorers study and investigate the world beneath the
waves.