The Quest To Find Antarctica

With no native population to speak of, the first people believed to have set foot on Antarctica were explorers. As to who earned the right to be called its discoverer, it is still up for debate. Captain James Cook went on multiple voyages searching for the landmass.

Although he and his men did reach the Antarctic Circle, none of them actually saw the continent. Their expedition did inspire other explorers to do what Cook failed to accomplish. Soon, a sort of international race to reach the “unknown southern land” was underway.