History of Antarctica

Although they had never seen it, the Ancient Greeks thought that there had to be land at the bottom of the world to balance the top of the world. They named it Anti-Arkitos (opposite of Arctic), which is why it was named Antarctica.

The British government sent Captain Cook to see what was at the bottom of the world. And so was the first person to sail inside the Antarctic Circle in 1773. He saw penguins, seals, whales and icebergs and must have wondered what he was seeing!!!

Once news of the animals Captain Cook had seen reached the UK, ships set sail to the southern Ocean to hunt for seals. Some species were killed for their skin, others for oil. Thousands were killed until by 1900 they reached the point of near extinction. Whales were the next targeted species. These were also killed until they were almost wiped out. Their oil was particularly valuable.