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Edmund Hillary Facts & Worksheets

Edmund Hillary was a modern explorer and mountaineer who first reached the peak of Mount Everest in 1953, along with Tibetan Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay.

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Edmund Hillary was a modern explorer and mountaineer who first reached the peak of Mount Everest in 1953, along with Tibetan Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay.

See the fact file below for more information on Edmund Hillary or alternatively, you can download our 23 page Edmund Hillary worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • Edmund Percival Hillary was born on July 20, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand. Along with his parents, Percival and Gertrude, young Edmund spent most of his childhood in a small village of Tuakau. He was a shy child who loved reading books.
  • He attended Auckland Grammar School and valued education because his mother was a school teacher.
  • At the age of 16, he discovered his interest in mountain climbing during a school ski trip to Mount Ruapehu.

Mountain Climbing and the Peak of Everest

  • While studying at the University of Auckland, Hillary joined outdoor activity clubs including mountain climbing. At the age of 20, he had his first major climb at Mount Ollivier, in the Southern Alps of New Zealand.
  • During WWII, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force. After the war, Edmund and his brother, Rex, became beekeepers like their father.
  • In January 1948, Hillary started climbing New Zealand’s highest peaks. Three years later, he joined the British expedition to Mount Everest along with over 400 other members. The ninth attempt, led by John Hunt, was a success.
  • On May 29, 1953, at exactly 11:30 a.m, Hillary, accompanied by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, reached the 29,029-foot peak of Mount Everest.
  • They were the first to climb to “the top of the world.” After their success, a 40-foot rock wall was named Hillary’s Step. At the summit, Hillary buried a crucifix while Norgay was photographed holding his ax with the flag of India, Britain, Nepal and the United Nations.
  • On the eve of Elizabeth II’s coronation, the successful summit to Mount Everest was announced.
  • On January 4, 1958, Hillary led the New Zealand Division of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition as they reached the South Pole using tractors. In addition, he was among the first to climb Mount Hershel in 1967.
  • In 1977, he traversed the Ganges from the Himalayas.

Later Life, Death, and Legacy

  • In 1985, two of the modern explorers, Hillary and astronaut Neil Armstrong, made history when they reached the North Pole using a small twin-engine plane. Hillary became the first person to stand on both poles, plus the “third pole,” the Everest summit.
  • From 1985 to 1988, he served as New Zealand’s high commissioner to Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Moreover, Hillary established the Himalayan Trust, a foundation helping the Sherpa people by building schools, hospitals and transportation hubs.
  • In 2003, during the 50th anniversary of reaching the summit, Hillary became an honorary citizen of Nepal.
  • During his later years, he wrote a number of books detailing his adventures, including High Adventure (1955), No Latitude for Error (1961) and The Crossing of Antarctica (1958).
  • On January 11, 2008, Sir Edmund Hillary, age 88, died of heart failure in Auckland.

Edmund Hillary Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about explorer Edmund Hillary across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Edmund Hillary worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Edmund Hillary who was a modern explorer and mountaineer who first reached the peak of Mount Everest in 1953, along with Tibetan Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Edmund Hillary Facts
  • Mount Everest Explorer
  • To the Peak
  • Hillary to the Top of the World
  • A Mountain to Climb
  • Mt. Everest Climbers
  • The Highest Mountains
  • Goddess of the Sky
  • All First
  • Modern Explorers
  • News on Top!

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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