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Table of Contents
Explorer Major Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton commanded three British trips to the Antarctic. He was a key player in what is known as the “Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.”
See the fact file below for more information on Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, or you can download our 25-page Ernest Henry Shackleton worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
EARLY YEARS AND EDUCATION
- On February 15, 1874, Ernest Henry Shackleton was born to Anglo-Irish parents in County Kildare, Ireland. He was raised in London, where his family had relocated when Shackleton was a young boy. He was the second of ten children and the oldest son.
- When Ernest was six years old, his father quit farming and enrolled at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned his medical degree. In 1884, the family relocated from their home at 35 Marlborough Road in Dublin to Sydenham in South London.
- After attending Dulwich College as a day student. However, due to Shackleton’s unhappiness at school, he was permitted to leave at the age of 16 and embark on an ocean voyage.
- Shackleton had three choices: a cadetship in the Royal Navy on “Britannia,” which he could not afford; the commercial marine cadet ships “Worcester” and “Conway,” or an apprenticeship “before the mast” on a sailing ship. He chose the third option.
- In the square-rigged sailing ship “Hoghton Tower,” owned by the North Western Shipping Company, his father was able to secure him a place. In spite of his extensive travels, he was eager to visit the Poles. Six years later, he then became a certified master mariner.
- During his first few years in the merchant fleet, Shackleton traveled a lot.
- He traveled to the South Pole in 1901 with renowned British naval officer and explorer Robert Falcon Scott. Together with a third person, they reached the pole earlier than any other group.
- Shackleton, however, had a bad journey since he became extremely ill and had to return home.
- Shackleton worked as a journalist for a while upon his return to Britain before being chosen as the secretary of the Scottish Royal Geographical Society. He unsuccessfully ran for Dundee’s city council in 1906.
CAREER AS A SOLDIER: WORLD WAR I
- In May 1917, Shackleton made his way back to England as the First World War was still raging across Europe.
- He volunteered for the army despite having a heart problem made worse by the exhaustion from his long journeys and being too old to be drafted. He was now drinking a lot and kept asking to be posted to the front in France.
- He was dispatched to Buenos Aires in October 1917 to advance British propaganda there.
- However, his diplomatic efforts to persuade Argentina and Chile to side with the Allies in the war were futile.
- Since diplomacy was not his strong suit, he was instead dispatched to Russia to prepare the British Army for cold conditions after being dispatched to South America to rally support. In April 1918, he went back home.
CAREER AS A SOLDIER: RUSSIAN WAR
- On July 22, 1918, Shackleton received a unique appointment as a temporary major. He began participating in the Russian Civil War in October 1918 as a member of the North Russia Expeditionary Force, which was commanded by Major-General Edmund Ironside. His duties included providing guidance on the British forces’ arctic equipment and training.
- Shackleton was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1919 King’s Birthday Honors list.
- He was also cited in despatches by General Ironside for his “valuable services rendered in connection with Military Operations in North Russia.”
EXPLORER: DISCOVERY EXPEDITION
- A wooden sailing ship with auxiliary motors called “Discovery” was designed specifically for this mission. The ship weighed 485 tons unladen, 172 feet long, and 34 feet broad. On July 31, 1901, it set sail for Antarctica from Dundee, where it had been constructed.
- Ernest Shackleton served as a third lieutenant on this voyage and was in charge of the holds, stocks, provisions, and deep sea water analysis.
- After arriving in Antarctica and making a few exploratory trips around the coast, the “Discovery” headed to McMurdo Sound, where winter quarters were to be set up.
- In the last few months before winter darkness descended, manhaul and dog sled parties performed numerous journeys. In a harsh setting that served as both a “school of hard knocks” and “cold knocks,” Scott and his troops embarked on an extremely painful and steep learning curve.
- During the expedition, Shackleton started to experience the symptoms of scurvy, and all of the crew were famished. Wilson, the physician, experienced snow blindness, and at one point, he pulled his sled while wearing a blindfold to lessen the discomfort from light.
- After arriving at 82°17’S on December 31, 1902, they made a U-turn. They were only 480 statute miles from the Pole and had come 300 miles further south than anyone before them. They had traveled 960 statute miles on their ninety-three-day journey.
EXPLORER: NIMROD EXPEDITION
- Shackleton worked as a journalist for a while after returning to Britain, but he never gave up on the idea of going back to the Antarctic. He organized and oversaw his own voyage in 1908 on the ship named “Nimrod.”
- Shackleton’s expedition to the South Pole saw him open a way up the Beardmore Glacier from the Ross Ice Shelf to the polar plateau.
- He got as close as 97 kilometers to the South Pole before sensibly deciding to turn back because his supplies were running low.
- On this voyage, Douglas Mawson took part in the first ascent of Mt. Erebus, an active volcano that towered over the camp on Ross Island.
- He did this along with a number of other expedition members. Mt. Erebus burst above them, sending hundreds of feet of steam and other gasses into the air, intensifying their already incredible climb.
EXPLORER: ENDURANCE EXPEDITION
- When Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen arrived at the planet’s southernmost point in 1911, Shackleton’s dream of becoming the first person to set foot there was shattered.
- The accomplishment encouraged Shackleton to set his sights on a new goal, which was to travel to Antarctica through the South Pole.
- Shackleton set off from London on the ship “Endurance” on his third journey to the South Pole on August 1, 1914, the same day that Germany declared war on Russia.
- The crew arrived at South Georgia, an island in the southern Atlantic, in the late fall. The group left the island on December 5, marking the end of an incredible 497 days of land contact for Shackleton and his companions.
- Shackleton and his crew were ultimately forced to abandon the “Endurance” after it became entrapped in ice in January 1915. They then made camp on the floating ice.
- In April 1916, Shackleton and his crew started an escape after the ship sank later that year. They crammed into three tiny boats and headed to Elephant Island.
- The crew arrived at the island sixteen days after leaving, and Shackleton made his way to a whaling station to plan a rescue operation.
- Shackleton returned to Elephant Island on August 25, 1916, to save the rest of the crew. Surprisingly, over the nearly two years they were stuck, none of his 28-man squad perished.
“I had a dream when I was 22 that someday I would go to the region of ice and snow and go on and on till I came to one of the poles of the earth.”
– Ernest Shackleton
LEGACY
- Respect for Shackleton’s courage and leadership did not come right away. The narrative of the “Endurance” and how Shackleton averted ultimate disaster, however, has enhanced his status and made him a key character in the era known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration over the past 50 years as the subject of more historical research.
- Shackleton’s perilous trek and the eventual rescue of all his men under hazardous circumstances rank among the greatest heroic tales of all time.
- In the latter half of the 20th century, Shackleton rose to prominence as a leadership icon who, in the face of overwhelming odds, managed to keep his team together in what polar historian Stephanie Barczewski called an “incredible” survival tale.
Ernest Henry Shackleton Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ernest Henry Shackleton across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ernest Henry Shackleton. Explorer Major Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton commanded three British trips to the Antarctic. He was a key player in what is known as the “Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.”
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Ernest Henry Shackleton Facts
- The Heroic Age
- Shackleton Summary
- The Antarctic
- The Expeditions
- Time to Discover!
- Nimrod Ascent
- Story of Endurance
- Travel Then and Now
- Antarctic Tourism
- Go on a Journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ernest Henry Shackleton?
Ernest Henry Shackleton was an Anglo-Irish explorer who led several expeditions to the Antarctic in the early 20th century. He is best known for his attempt to cross the continent of Antarctica on foot, a journey that ultimately failed but which nevertheless demonstrated remarkable perseverance and leadership.
What were some of Shackleton’s expeditions?
Shackleton led three expeditions to the Antarctic. The first, in 1901-1904, was as a member of Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Expedition. Shackleton was part of the support team for Scott’s attempt to reach the South Pole and also led a separate expedition to the south of the continent. Shackleton’s second expedition, in 1907-1909, was the Nimrod Expedition, during which he led a team to within 97 miles of the South Pole, the closest anyone had come to reaching it at that time. His final expedition, the Endurance Expedition of 1914-1916, aimed to cross Antarctica on foot, but the ship was trapped in ice and eventually crushed, forcing Shackleton and his men to endure a harrowing journey to safety.
What was Shackleton’s leadership style?
Shackleton was known for his charismatic leadership style, which emphasized teamwork, empathy, and communication. He was known to be a great listener and would often solicit feedback from his crew, which helped him to make better decisions. Shackleton also recognized the importance of morale and made sure to keep his men’s spirits up, even in the face of adversity.
What is Shackleton’s legacy?
Shackleton’s legacy is one of remarkable leadership and perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite failing to achieve his ultimate goal of crossing Antarctica on foot, his ability to keep his team alive in incredibly harsh conditions is a testament to his skill as a leader. Shackleton’s story has inspired countless people, and he is often cited as an example of leadership in difficult situations.
What are some books about Shackleton that you would recommend?
There are many books about Shackleton, but two that are particularly well-regarded are “South: The Endurance Expedition” by Shackleton himself, and “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage” by Alfred Lansing. Both books provide a detailed account of the Endurance Expedition and are widely considered to be classics of Antarctic exploration literature.
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