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Henry Hudson Facts & Worksheets

Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century and is considered one of the world's most famous explorers.

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Early in the seventeenth century, Henry Hudson was a maritime explorer and navigator from England. One of the most significant European explorers of North America, Hudson is remembered for his work as a New World explorer. After Hudson explored the Hudson River, the Dutch established a colony called New Amsterdam, which was eventually renamed New York after the British defeated the Dutch.

See the fact file below for more information on Henry Hudson or alternatively, you can download our 27-page Henry Hudson worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

  • Hudson’s early years are mostly unknown, but most historians concur that he was born in England in 1565 and eventually resided in London. 
  • Because he was able to read, write, and perform mathematical operations, it is known that he had a more excellent education than others. He also learned navigation, and his talent and understanding of the Arctic terrain garnered him international acclaim.
  • Most academics concur that Hudson’s grandpa was one of the Muscovy Company’s founders. This was a significant trading organization at the time, and Hudson would set out on his expeditions because of them. 
  • Henry most likely began his maritime career as a cabin boy when he was young. He would have learned how to prepare food, manage sails, maintain a ship, and maintain a log.
  • Henry eventually tied the knot with Katherine for some time in his life. They had three sons, John, Oliver, and Richard.
  • At the time, many nations and trading organizations were looking for a new route to India. India’s spices were highly prized in Europe, but they were also incredibly expensive to ship. Across Africa, ships had to travel by sea. Pirates sank or took control of a lot of ships and their cargo. 
  • Henry Hudson was looking for a route through the north to India. He believed the ice covering the North Pole might melt during the summer. He could sail straight to India from the top of the planet. Henry oversaw four successive trips that began in 1607 to find the elusive northern passage.

Voyages

First Voyage – 1607

  • In 1607, the Muscovy Company hired Hudson to captain a voyage to China that would cross the Arctic Circle. In April 1607, the Hopewell left Gravesend, England, carrying Henry Hudson, and he had twelve men on board, including his son John. 
  • The trek to the Shetland Islands north of Great Britain took 26 days. It would then take another 1.5 weeks to reach the Arctic Circle. Along the way, he ran into conflict with a few crew members in addition to the challenging weather.
  • They cruised through intensely ice-pressed waters past Greenland’s coast. They forged ahead northward and showed up in the Svalbard archipelago’s Spitsbergen. On their excursion, they experienced various whales, seals, walruses, and seabird species. 
  • He made a few endeavors to cruise around the ice packs however were fruitless. On July 27, the Hopewell and her group made a beeline for Britain. Hudson had neglected to track down his northern course to China.

Second Voyage – 1608

  • in 1608, the Muscovy Organization charged Hudson back to track down the section of the Far East. This time, Hudson intended to track down an Upper east section, cruising towards the Russian district of Novaya Zemlya. 
  • Hudson left on April 22, 1608, on board the Hopewell again, with a group of 14 men, including his child John again.
  •  Hudson experienced difficulty with a few of his crew members. In any case, they forged ahead and arrived at Novaya Zemlya. They saw a few creatures once more, and Hudson even kept in his diary seeing a mermaid. However, like his last process, Hudson couldn’t explore past the huge ice packs and returned to Britain.

Third Voyage – 1609

  • In 1609, Hudson joined the Dutch Malay Archipelago Organization as a commandant. He assumed responsibility for the Half Moon, intending to find a northern course to Asia by traveling north of Russia. 
  • Again, ice packed up his movements, however, at this point, he didn’t embark on toward home. Hudson chose to cruise west to appear for the western section of the Orient. As per a few historians, he had known about a way to the Pacific Sea from North America by English voyager John Smith.
  • Crossing the Atlantic, Hudson and his crew reached the land that July, coming ashore in what’s now Nova Scotia. They encountered a number of the local Indigenous peoples there and were able to make some trades with them. 
  • Hudson traveled the length of the North American continent, stopping at the Chesapeake Bay in the south. He then circled and decided to explore big apple Harbor, a region first thought to possess been found by Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. Around this point, Hudson and his crew clashed with some local Indigenous peoples. A crewman named John Colman died after being shot in the neck with an arrow, and two others on board were injured.
  • Hudson and his group went up the stream that would later convey his name. He investigated up to the extent of what later became Albany. He and his group likewise met with some Native people groups living on the stream’s banks.
  • Returning to the Netherlands, Hudson was halted at the English port of Dartmouth. The English authorities held onto the boat. Upset that he had been investigating for a different nation, land specialists precluded Hudson from working with the Dutch again. Hudson tracked down English financial backers to subsidize his next venture.

Final Voyage, Legacy & Death

  • On board the boat Discovery, Hudson left Britain in April 1610. He and his group, together with his child John and Robert Juet, advanced across the Atlantic. Subsequent to evading the southern tip of Greenland, they entered and discovered what became called the Hudson Strait. The investigation then came to one more of his namesakes, the Hudson Bay.
  • With little resources, they discovered themselves stranded on the ice. Tensions only increased when they were made to spend the winter there.
  • Conditions had sufficiently improved by June 1611 for the ship to set sail again. Hudson, though, didn’t make the trip home. Soon after they left, Juet and a few other crew members took control of the ship and decided to expel Hudson, his son, and a few other crew members.
  • Mutineers put Hudson and others in an exceeding boat and set them adrift. It’s believed that Hudson and others died of exposure sometime later, in or near Hudson Bay. A number of mutineers were later placed on trial, but were acquitted. Since Hudson’s body was never found, it’ll never be known whether the captain was murdered or given a more subtle death sentence, set adrift within the harsh environment of northern Canada.
  • Hudson served as a model for other European travelers and immigrants who came to North America. In 1625, the Dutch established a brand-new settlement at the mouth of the Hudson River called New Amsterdam. Along the neighboring shores, they also built trading posts.
  • The North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, sections of North America, and the Hudson River were all explored by Henry Hudson, who notably sailed up the river as far as present-day Albany, New York, despite his failure to reach Asia.

Henry Hudson Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Henry Hudson across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Henry Hudson worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Henry Hudson, who was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century and is considered one of the world’s most famous explorers. He is best known for his exploration of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States. A river, a strait and a bay in North America are named after him.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Henry Hudson Facts
  • About Henry
  • Hudson’s Expeditions
  • 16th Century Goals
  • Detour
  • Historical Events
  • Crossword Adventure
  • The Lost Words
  • Connecting Game
  • Explore the Truth
  • Guess What?

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Henry Hudson discover?

Subsequent to evading the southern tip of Greenland, they entered and discovered what became called the Hudson Strait. The investigation then came to one more of his namesakes, the Hudson Bay.

What is Henry Hudson most famous for?

Early in the seventeenth century, Henry Hudson was a maritime explorer and navigator from England. One of the most significant European explorers of North America, Hudson is remembered for his work as a New World explorer.

Has Henry Hudson ever been found?

Since Hudson’s body was never found, it’ll never be known whether the captain was murdered or given a more subtle death sentence, set adrift within the harsh environment of northern Canada.

What places did Henry Hudson explore?

The North Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, sections of North America, and the Hudson River were all explored by Henry Hudson, who notably sailed up the river as far as present-day Albany, New York, despite his failure to reach Asia.

What happened to Henry Hudson on his last voyage?

Mutineers put Hudson and others in an exceeding boat and set them adrift. It’s believed Hudson and others died of exposure sometime later, in or near Hudson Bay.

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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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