Matthew Henson may have been the first person to stand at the North Pole . He reached the Pole as a member of an expedition to the Arctic led by the explorer Robert E. Peary in 1909. Matthew Alexander Henson was born in Maryland on August 8, 1866.
What is important about Matthew Henson?
Matthew Henson was an African American explorer best known as the co-discoverer of the North Pole with Robert Edwin Peary in 1909.
What are 3 important facts about Matthew Henson?
- Henson and Peary went on many expeditions to explore Greenland and the Arctic Circle. ...
- Two of the trips ended poorly. ...
- On another trip, six Eskimo teammates died of starvation and exposure to the cold.
- In 1909, Peary and Henson reached the North Pole.
What is an interesting fact about Matthew Henson?
Matthew Henson was a brave explorer who journeyed all over the world . He spent many years and several expeditions trying to reach the North Pole with Robert Peary. After many years of trying, the pair finally reached it in 1909. Henson is thought to be the first man to actually reach the North Pole.
What impact did Matthew Henson have on world?
An African-American of the first generation to roam the world after the abolition of slavery, Henson led a singular life of exploration and discovery that would usher in the modern era of adventure that continues now through the 21st century.
Why is Matthew Henson a hero?
Explain to students that in 1908, Matthew Henson joined Commander Robert E. Peary’s expedition. Their goal was to be the first people to reach the North Pole successfully. Henson demonstrated great courage during his Arctic exploration and in his daily life as an African American.
What challenges did Matthew Henson face?
He married twice, and had no children apart from Ahnaukaq Henson, who, in 1987, at the age of 80, achieved his lifetime ambition of visiting the land of his father’s birth. Obstacles he faced included ice floes, snowstorms, frostbite and racism : 9.
Who went with Matthew Henson to the North Pole?
In 1909 Peary and Henson, accompanied by four Inuit, became the first men to reach the North Pole, the rest of the crew having turned back earlier. Henson’s account of the journey, A Negro Explorer at the North Pole, appeared in 1912.
When did Matthew Henson become a cabin boy?
Matthew Henson was born to Black sharecroppers a year after the Civil War ended. At age 13 , he became a cabin boy on a frigate to China.
Who taught Matthew Henson to read?
At the age of 12, after his uncle’s death, Henson moved to Baltimore where he became a cabin boy on a merchant ship, the Katie Hines . The captain of the vessel taught Henson to read and write. Henson sailed the world with the Katie Hines for the next few years.
Why is Matthew Henson important to black history?
More in Black History:
Henson is most well known for being a part of the 1908-1909 expedition with famous explorer Robert Peary. That expedition claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole and Henson said he was the first one of their group to actually reach the pole .
What was Matthew Henson education?
During those years Henson attended Harvard University and earned a master’s degree . Recognition finally came in 1937, when he was elected to the International Explorers Club in New York, and in 1944, when he received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
