History of humanity and travel. Herodotus is the first great traveler and father modern history. Arab and European travelers of the Middle Ages...

From Masterweb

26.06.2018 14:00

The exploration of our planet took place over several centuries, and many people distinguished themselves, whose names and merits are captured in many historical books. All great travelers sought to escape from routine existence and look at the world with different eyes. A thirst for new knowledge, curiosity, a desire to expand known horizons - all these qualities were inherent in each of them.

About history and travelers

The history of mankind should be perceived as the history of travel. It's impossible to understand what it would be like modern world, if previous civilizations had not sent travelers to the borders of a then unknown world. The thirst for travel is embedded in human DNA, because he has always strived to explore something and expand his own world.

The first people began colonizing the world 100,000 years ago, moving from Africa to Asia and Europe. In the Middle Ages and modern times, travelers went to unknown countries in search of gold, glory, new lands, or they simply ran away from their miserable existence and poverty. However, all great travelers possessed an impulse of power of the same nature, the endless fuel of explorers - curiosity. It only takes something that a person does not know or does not understand to create an alluring and irresistible force that cannot be resisted. The following article describes the exploits of the great travelers and their discoveries, which had a huge impact on the development of humanity. The following individuals are noted:

• Herodotus;
• Ibn Battuta;
• Marco Polo;
• Christopher Columbus;
• Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano;
• James Cook;
• Charles Darwin;
• explorers of Africa and Antarctica;
• famous Russian travelers.

Father of modern history - Herodotus

The famous Greek philosopher, Herodotus, lived in the 5th century BC. His first journey was exile, as Herodotus was accused of plotting against the tyrant of Halicarnassus, Lygdamis. During this exile, the great traveler travels throughout the Middle East. He describes all his discoveries and acquired knowledge in 9 books, thanks to which Herodotus received the nickname of the father of history. It is interesting to note that another famous historian of ancient Greece, Plutarch, gave Herodotus the nickname “father of lies.” In his books, Herodotus talks about distant countries and the cultures of many peoples, information about which the philosopher collected during his travels.

The stories of the great traveler are filled with political, philosophical and geographical reflections. They also contain sexual stories, myths and crime stories. Herodotus's style of presentation is semi-artistic. Modern historians consider the work of Herodotus to be a paradigm of curiosity. The historical and geographical knowledge brought by Herodotus had a big influence for the development of Greek culture. The geographical map that Herodotus drew up, which included the limits from the Danube to the Nile, and from Iberia to India, for the next 1000 years determined the horizons of the then known world. Let us note that the scientist was very concerned that the knowledge he had acquired would not be lost by humanity over time, and therefore he outlined it in detail in his 9 books.

Ibn Battuta (1302 - 1368)

Like every Muslim, twenty-year-old Battuta began his pilgrimage from the city of Tangier to Mecca on the back of a donkey. He could not even think that he would return to his hometown only 25 years later, with vast wealth and a harem of wives after having traveled most of the world. If you ask yourself which great travelers first explored the Muslim world, then you can safely name Ibn Battuta. He visited all countries, from the kingdom of Granada in Spain to China, and from Caucasus Mountains to the city of Timbuktu, which is located in the Republic of Mali. This great traveler traveled 120,000 kilometers, met more than 40 sultans and emperors, served as ambassador to various sultans, and survived a number of disasters. Ibn Battuta always traveled with a large retinue, and in every new place he was treated as an important person.

Modern historians note that in the first half of the 14th century, when Ibn Battuta made his travels, the Islamic world was at the apogee of its existence, which allowed the traveler to quickly and easily move across many territories.

Just like Marco Polo, Battuta did not write his book ("Travels"), but dictated his stories to the Granadan polymath Ibn Khuzai. This work reflects Battuta's thirst for pleasure in life, which includes stories of sex and blood.

Marco Polo (1254 - 1324)

Marco Polo is one of the important names of great travelers. The book of the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, which tells in detail about his travels, became extremely popular 2 centuries before the invention of printing. Marco Polo traveled the world for 24 years. Upon his return to his homeland, he was imprisoned during the war between the Mediterranean trading powers of Genoa and Venice. In prison, he dictated stories of his travels to one of his unfortunate neighbors. As a result, in 1298 a book appeared called “Description of the World, Dictated by Marco.”

Marco Polo, together with his father and uncle, who were famous merchants of jewelry and silks, set off at the age of 17 on a journey to the Far East. During his trip, the great geographical traveler visited such forgotten places as the island of Hormuz, the Gobi Desert, the coasts of Vietnam and India. Marco knew 5 foreign languages, was the representative of the great Mongol Khan Kublai Khan for 17 years.

Note that Marco Polo was not the first European to visit Asia, however, he was the first to compile its detailed geographical description. His book is a mixture of truth and fiction, which is why many historians question most of its facts. On his deathbed, one priest asked Marco Polo, who was 70 years old, to admit his lies, to which the great traveler replied that he had not told half of what he saw.

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506)

Speaking of travelers great era discoveries, first of all, Christopher Columbus should be named, who shifted the human economy to the west and marked the beginning of a new era in history. Historians note that when Columbus sailed to discover the New World, the word “gold” rather than the word “land” was most often found in his logbook entries.

Christopher Columbus, with information provided by Marco Polo, believed that he could reach the Far East, full of gold and riches, by sailing west. As a result, on August 2, 1492, he sailed from Spain on three ships and headed west. The journey across the Atlantic Ocean lasted longer than 2 months, and on October 11, Rodrigo Triana from the ship La Pinta saw land. This day radically changed the lives of Europeans and Americans.

Like many great travelers of the Age of Discovery, Columbus died in 1506 in poverty in the city of Valladolid. Columbus did not know that he had discovered a new continent, but thought that he managed to sail to India through the west.

Ferdinand Magellan and Juan Sebastian Elcano (16th century)

One of the amazing routes of the great travelers of the era of the Great Geographical Discoveries is the route of Ferdinand Magellan, when he was able to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean through a narrow strait, which Magellan named after its calm waters.

In the 16th century, there was a serious race for dominance of the seas and oceans between Portugal and Spain; historians compare this race with the race for space exploration between the USA and the USSR. Since Portugal dominated the African coast, Spain sought ways to reach the Spice Islands (modern Indonesia) and India via the west. Ferdinand Magellan became just the navigator who had to find new way to the East through the West.

In September 1519, 5 ships with a total of 237 sailors set sail for the West, led by Ferdinand Magellan. Three years later, only one ship returned with 18 sailors on board, led by Juan Sebastian Elcano. This was the first time a man sailed around the entire globe. The great traveler Ferdinand Magellan himself died in the Philippine Islands.

James Cook (1728-1779)

This great British explorer is considered the most famous explorer Pacific Ocean. He left his parents' farm and became a great captain in the Royal Navy. He made three great voyages from 1768 to 1779, which filled in many of the blank spots on maps of the Pacific. All of Cook's voyages were conducted by Britain to achieve a range of geographical and botanical objectives in Oceania, Australia and New Zealand.

Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)

Few people know that the story of great travelers and their discoveries must include the name of Charles Darwin, who at the age of 22 set off on a voyage on the brigantine Beagle in 1831 to explore the east coast of South America. On this journey, Charles Darwin sailed around the world in 5 years, collecting a wealth of information about the flora and fauna of our planet, which turned out to be key to Darwin's theory of the evolution of living organisms.

After that long journey, the scientist locked himself in his house in Kent in order to carefully study the collected material and draw the right conclusions. In 1859, that is, 23 years after his trip around the world, Charles Darwin published his work “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection,” the main thesis of which was that it is not the strongest living organisms that survive, but the most adapted to environmental conditions. .

Exploring Africa

The great travelers who distinguished themselves in the exploration of Africa are mainly British. One of the famous explorers of the black continent is Dr. Livingston, who distinguished himself in research central regions Africa. Livingstone is credited with the discovery of Victoria Falls. This man is a national hero of Great Britain.

Other famous Britons who distinguished themselves in the exploration of Africa are John Speke and Richard Francis Burton, who made numerous trips to the African continent in the second half of the 19th century. Their most famous journey is the search for the sources of the Nile.

Antarctica exploration

The exploration of the icy southern continent, Antarctica, marked a new stage in human history. The British Robert Scott and the Norwegian Roald Amundsen distinguished themselves in conquering the South Pole. Scott was an explorer and officer in the British Royal Navy, he led 2 expeditions to Antarctica, and on January 17, 1912, he and five members of his crew reached the south pole, however, the Norwegian Amundsen was several weeks ahead of him. Robert Scott's entire expedition died by freezing to death in the icy desert of Antarctica. Amundsen, in turn, having visited the South Pole on December 14, 1911, was able to return to his homeland alive.

First woman traveler

The thirst for travel and new discoveries was characteristic not only of men, but also of women. Thus, the first female traveler about whom there is reliable evidence was the Galician (northwestern part of Spain) Ejeria in the 4th century AD. Her travels were associated with holy lands and pilgrimages. Thus, it is known that within 3 years she visited Constantinople, Jerusalem, Sinai, Mesopotamia and Egypt. It is unknown whether Ejeria returned to her homeland.

Great Russian travelers who expanded the borders of Russia

Russia is the largest country in the world by area. Much of this fame owes to Russian travelers and explorers. The great travelers in the table below are given.

Russian travelers - explorers of the planet

Among them, Ivan Kruzenshtern should be noted, who was the first Russian to travel around the globe. We also mention Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay, who was a famous navigator and explorer of Oceania and South-East Asia. Let us also note Nikolai Przhevalsky, who was one of the most famous explorers of Central Asia in the world.

Kievyan Street, 16 0016 Armenia, Yerevan +374 11 233 255

Almost every corner of the Earth has now been explored. There is no longer any place left where no human foot has gone. Even the Arctic ice gave way under his onslaught.

But it was not always so. For our ancestors, our planet was an unknown and mysterious world, and new countries, strange customs and tribes were hidden beyond the horizon.

The most famous travelers made a great contribution to the study of the Earth, whose names remain forever in our memory, because... It was they who made world discoveries that changed people's understanding of our planet.

10. Francis Drake

A strait located between Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego was named after him. California has Drake Bay.

From the age of 12, Francis, the son of an ordinary farmer, became a cabin boy on the ship of his distant relative. From the age of 18 he was already a captain.

In 1567, his ship took part in an expedition. These ships were attacked by the Spaniards, most of which they sank. Only 2 ships survived, one of which belonged to Francis Drake. The British demanded compensation for all losses, but the Spaniards refused.

Then the young captain swore that he himself would take everything from the King of Spain. In 1577 he was sent to the coast of America. By official version, he was supposed to discover new lands, but in fact the goal was more prosaic - gold. Due to a storm, Drake discovered a strait that took his name.

9. Afanasy Nikitin

The famous Russian traveler became famous for being one of the first Europeans who was able to get to. He visited there before the Portuguese travelers.

Afanasy Nikitin Born into the family of an ordinary peasant. He became a merchant, but was remembered by his descendants as a man who not only reached India and Persia, but also described it in his book "Walking across three seas". Before this, Russian literature had written only about pilgrimage, and this was a description of a commercial trip, where he talked about the culture and economy of these countries, about their political structure.

8. Roald Amundsen

Norwegian explorer, famous for his polar expeditions. He was the first person to reach the South Pole, and also the very first traveler to visit both poles of the planet.

The expedition, which was organized in 1926, is the first to claim to have reached the North Pole. He was the winner of many state and public awards.

Roald Amundsen At the insistence of his mother, he entered the medical faculty, but as soon as she died, he left it with relief. Fateful in his life was his acquaintance with the fate of Rear Admiral John Franklin and a description of his hardships. He began preparing for this feat at the age of 16, living a Spartan life: diet, sleeping outdoors and in winter, physical exercise, constant skiing, etc.

His first voyage was on the hunting ship Morgenen, where he wanted to prepare for the navigator's rank. A young polar explorer was waiting ahead interesting life, full of adventures and discoveries.

Most of his life was spent on expeditions; he never married and had no children. The famous traveler died at the age of 55 during the search for the expedition of Umberto Nobile.

7. Amerigo Vespucci

Florentine traveler, after whom it received its name. He was an ordinary financier who helped supply Christopher Columbus's 2nd and 3rd expeditions.

In 1499, at the age of 45, he decides to set off on a long journey himself. Amerigo Vespucci believed that sailing was a profitable business, so he was ready to conquer the world at his own expense.

Vespucci became one of the discoverers of the territory where Brazil was later located. The former financier was the first to realize that the shores of Brazil are not islands, but new lands, which he called the New World. In 1507, a map appeared in France with the contours of a new continent, which they called "land of Amerigo", and later began to be called America.

6. David Livingston

He was not an explorer, but a Scottish missionary. But, while fulfilling his difficult mission, he at the same time studied and told the whole world about it.

David Livingston Born into a poor family, he began working in a weaving factory at the age of 10. But this did not stop the boy from studying independently; he studied mathematics, Latin and Greek, entered the university and became a doctor.

In 1840, Livingston became a missionary and for the next 15 years he constantly traveled throughout Central and Southern Africa, became an ardent fighter against the slave trade, and created a reputation for himself as a convinced Christian.

His life was difficult, but interesting, full of adventures, Africans called him “The Great Lion”.

David was the first European to cross the Kalahari Desert, after which he discovered and explored Lake Ngami. He also discovered Lake Dilolo.

Livingston and his companions were the first to find the waterfall, which the traveler named in honor of Queen Victoria. Now near this waterfall there is a monument to the great explorer. He spent most of his life in Africa.

5. Ferdinand Magellan

He was a navigator with the title "adelantado", which meant "leader of the conquistadors (conquerors)" who explored and conquered lands outside the Spanish possessions.

Ferdinand Magellan did the first trip around the world. He became the first European who was able to cross the sea from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, opening the strait named after him. Magellan belonged to a noble family.

In 1498, the Portuguese opened the road to India. They began to equip ships to conquer the east. On one of them was Magellan, who took part in the battles with everyone else. Soon he comes up with a plan for a journey that would later make him famous.

He asks the king to send him on a voyage, but he refuses. Then the traveler decides to move to, where he was able to create his own expedition of 5 ships. The journey was difficult, but as a result they found a strait, moving along which they were able to enter the ocean after 38 days.

The expedition was the first to reach the Philippine Islands, which Magellan called the Archipelago of Saint Lazarus. The brave navigator died early, at the age of 40, while participating in a military expedition against the Lapu-Lapu tribe of Mactan Island, whose leader did not want to obey Spain. He never lived to see the end of the world's first circumnavigation.

4. Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay

Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay was not only a traveler, but also a biologist and anthropologist, who devoted his life to studying the populations of Australia, Oceania and Asia. He was an ardent opponent of the slave trade, and was against the theory, popular at that time, that the black races were a transitional species from apes to humans.

He is our compatriot, born in the Novgorod province, studied at St. Petersburg University. In 1870 he went to New Guinea, where he lived among the Papuans, studying their life and rituals, and later continued his observations in neighboring regions.

3. Vasco da Gama

The famous Portuguese navigator who was the first to sail from Europe to India. Born into a family, in his youth he joined the Order of Santiago, and from a young age he participated in naval battles.

In those years, finding a sea route to India was the task of the century, because... it would bring enormous benefits. AND Vasco da Gama was able to do this, after which he became a representative of the nobility, and over time he was awarded the title of “Admiral of the Indian Ocean.”

2. James Cook

The famous navigator was born into the family of a poor Scottish farm laborer, and after 5 years of school he worked on a farm.

At the age of 18, he is hired as a cabin boy on his first ship. Thus begins his career as a sailor, which made James Cook famous.

He was at the head of 3 expeditions that explored the World Ocean. He paid a lot of attention to cartography; the maps he compiled were used until the second half of the 19th century. I learned to fight such a common disease in those days as scurvy.

He was known for his friendly attitude towards the indigenous people of the territories he explored, but died at the age of 50, killed by the natives of the Hawaiian Islands.

1. Christopher Columbus

Much has been said about the life of this famous navigator. He was the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean and visit the Caribbean and Sargasso Sea. He was the discoverer of Central and South America.

Coming from a poor Genoese family, he received a good education. Dreaming of getting to India by a short sea route, Christopher Columbus makes a lot of efforts to implement his projects, but they all turn out to be unsuccessful.

Queen Isabella helped make his dream come true, and she agreed to pawn her jewels for the sake of a great idea.

4 expeditions were organized. Columbus died at the age of 55; the enormous significance of his discoveries was recognized much later, and during his lifetime his monopoly right to discover new lands was revoked; moreover, he was arrested and sent to Spain in shackles.

1 slide

Great geographical travelers and their discoveries Completed by: Ilya Moshkin Student of grade 6A, school No. 9, Divnogorsk

2 slide

3 slide

Christopher Columbus (1451 - 1506) Navigator born in Genoa. Appointed commander of the fleet in Spain. In 1492–1493 he led a Spanish expedition to find the shortest route to India. He returned to his homeland, but poverty and uncertainty awaited him there.

4 slide

Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic Ocean on 3 caravels (Santa Maria, Pinta and Niña) and reached the island. San Selvador (official date of discovery of America October 12, 1492) An educated, well-read man. He mistakenly assumed that he had reached India.

5 slide

The significance of Columbus's expedition Discovered America Sargasso Sea Bahamas Cuba Haiti Antilles Caribbean Sea

6 slide

Vasco da Gama (1469-1524) Portuguese navigator. In 1497-1499 he sailed from Lisbon to India, circumnavigating Africa, and back, for the first time establishing a sea route from Europe to South Asia. In 1524 he was appointed viceroy of India. Died in India during the 3rd voyage. His ashes were sent to Portugal in 1538.

7 slide

The significance of the expedition Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon to India, circumnavigated Africa, paved the sea route from Europe to South Asia (India)

8 slide

Ferdinand Magellan (1480 - 1521) Portuguese warrior. He was forced to seek service in a foreign land, in Spain. In a foreign country he achieved the rank of flotilla commander. On September 20, 1519, he set out on an expedition to the Spice Islands (India) from the west through a strait-passage that he was about to open.

Slide 9

The expedition included a flotilla of five ships with a crew of 265 people. The journey lasted three years. Magellan died in battle, intervening in an intertribal war, on April 27, 1521. Only the ship Victoria, under the command of El Cano, circumnavigated Africa and returned to Spain on September 6, 1522.

10 slide

The significance of F. Magellan's expedition The expedition circumnavigated the earth and confirmed its spherical shape. For the first time, Europeans passed the “South Sea,” which Magellan called the Pacific Ocean. Evidence has been obtained that the continent of South America in the south has a wedge shape.

11 slide

James Cook (1728 - 79) English navigator who completed 3 expeditions around the world. Born into the family of a day laborer, he began working with his father at the age of 7, and began attending school at 13. In June 1755 he enlisted in the British navy as a sailor. In 1762-1767, already in command of a ship, he surveyed the shores of the island of Newfoundland.

12 slide

James Cook More than 20 are named after him geographical objects, including three bays, two groups of islands and two straits. Cook's first circumnavigation of the world lasted a little over 3 years; he was awarded the rank of captain 1st rank. Killed and eaten by Hawaiians.

Slide 13

The significance of James Cook's expedition Discovered many islands in the Pacific Ocean. Found out the basic situation of New Zealand. Opened the Bolshoi barrier reef and Australia's fundamental position. Discovered the Hawaiian Islands and part of the coast of Alaska.

Slide 14

Mikhail Lazarev (1788 -1851) Russian naval commander, admiral. Made 3 expeditions around the world, with F.F. Bellingshausen discovered Antarctica. In 1800 he was assigned to the Naval Cadet Corps. Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden

15 slide

The significance of Lazarev's expedition Discovered Antarctica with Bellingshausen Swim in the Atlantic, near Antilles and in Indian Ocean Participated in the Battle of Trafalgar and in the war with Sweden

16 slide

Thaddeus Bellingshausen (1778-1852) Russian navigator, admiral. Participant of the 1st Russian trip around the world. He led the 1st Antarctic expedition on the Vostok and Mirny boats.

Slide 17

The significance of Bellingshausen's expedition Discovered Antarctica in January 1820 Discovered several islands in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

18 slide

Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839-1888) Russian traveler, geographer, naturalist, explorer. In 1856 he entered the Academy of the General Staff. In 1867 he came to St. Petersburg, where he met with P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, who contributed to the organization of Przhevalsky’s expedition

Description of the presentation by individual slides:

1 slide

Slide description:

2 slide

Slide description:

Italian traveler Marco Polo (1254-1324). In 1271-75 he traveled to China, where he lived for approx. 17 years. In 1292-95 he returned to Italy by sea. The “Book” written in his words (1298) is one of the first sources of European knowledge about the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. and Yuzh. Asia.

3 slide

Slide description:

This is a period in human history, beginning in the 15th century and lasting until the 17th century, during which Europeans discovered new lands and sea routes to Africa, America, Asia and Oceania in search of new trading partners and sources of goods that were in great demand in Europe. Historians generally associate the "Great Discovery" with the pioneering long sea voyages of Portuguese and Spanish explorers in search of alternative trade routes to the "Indies" for gold, silver and spices.

4 slide

Slide description:

He is the first to reliably famous travelers crossed the Atlantic Ocean and sailed in the Caribbean Sea. He marked the beginning of the discovery of the continent of South America. He discovered all the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, etc.), the Lesser Antilles and about. Trinidad. On his first expedition, he equipped 3 ships: “Santa Maria”, “Pinta”, “Nina”. In total, Columbus made 4 trips to America. Named after Columbus: State in South America- Colombia Mount Cristobal Colon in Colombia. Federal District of Columbia in the USA. Columbia River in the USA and Canada. Cities in the USA Columbus and Columbia. Streets in Volgograd and Astrakhan, squares in New York and Zelenogad. thin John Vanderline. Columbus's landing in America.

5 slide

Slide description:

Columbus can be called the discoverer of America with reservations. Back in the Middle Ages in the territory North America There were Icelandic Vikings, but nothing was known about this outside of Scandinavia. It was Columbus's expeditions that made information about America public knowledge. First island from Bahamas was opened on October 12, 1492. Map of Columbus' four expeditions. Queen Isabella of Castile and Columbus Monument to Columbus in Bremerhaven in Germany Replica of the ship “Santa Maria”.

6 slide

Slide description:

Florentine traveler. There is an opinion that he received this nickname or named himself so in honor of the already named continent. As a navigator, he took part in expeditions to new lands in 1499 using Columbus's maps, and gave them the name Venezuela - Little Venice, discovered the Amazon delta and mapped 22 other objects. In 1500 -1504 he made two more journeys from Portugal to the lands of the new continent. From 1505 he served as a helmsman in the Spanish service for travel to India. According to legend, Christopher Columbus believed until the end of his days that he had discovered a new route to India. But soon the opinion spread that it was not India that had been discovered, but a new continent. One of the first supporters of this version was Amerigo Vespucci, whose name the new part of the world acquired. It is believed that the term “new world” itself could have been proposed in 1503 by the same Vespucci, but this opinion is disputed.

7 slide

Slide description:

He took part in equipping Columbus's second and third expeditions and maintained friendly relations with him. According to the stories of his contemporaries, Amerigo was an exceptionally fair, intelligent and observant person. He had a talent for writing, and quite often exaggerated when talking about the nature and people of new lands, but never talk about the leaders of the expeditions and his role in these expeditions. In honor of Amerigo Vespucci they named: A three-deck training frigate, launched in February 1931 in Naples. Airport in Italian city Florence. the main street in the city of Lima, the capital of Chile. A bridge spanning the Arno River in the Italian city of Florence. A section of the Arno River embankment in Florence. AMERICUS VESPUCIUS

8 slide

Slide description:

Portuguese navigator, known as the first European to make a sea voyage to India. On July 8, 1497, 4 ships left Lisbon: 2 large three-masted ships “San Gabriel” (flagship ship) and “San Rafael”, a light caravel “Berriu” and a transport ship for transporting supplies. Were in disarray best cards and navigation devices. The Brazilian is named after football club The city in Goa is named the Most long bridge in Europe in Lisbon. The Adidas football sword model is named after the logbook on the ship. Monument to Vasco da Gamma in front of the church in Sines.

Slide 9

Slide description:

Only 5 years before his death, Da Gamma received land holdings and the title of count. Only 2 ships returned after the expedition in September 1499. However, from a financial point of view, the expedition was unusually successful - the proceeds of goods brought from India were 60 times higher than the costs of the expedition. Padran - stone pillar with an image of the royal coat of arms of Portugal and an inscription - it was placed as a sign of the transition of the territory under the control of Portugal. Padran at the Cape of Good Hope.

10 slide

Slide description:

English naval sailor, explorer, cartographer, member of the Royal Society. He led three expeditions to explore the World Ocean, all around the world. Surveyed and mapped the east coasts of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, Indian and atlantic oceans. On February 14, 1779 he was killed by the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands. After the military operation, some parts of Kuku's body were returned by the aborigines and buried at sea. 1st expedition - ship “Endeavour” 2nd expedition – 2 ships “Resolution” and “Adventure” 3rd expedition – 2 ships “Resolution” and “Discovery” The strait between the islands of New Zealand is named in honor of Cook. Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Mountain on the islands of New Zealand. Cooktown in Australia. A bay off the coast of Alaska. The Module was named after Endeavor spaceship Apollo 12.

On August 18, we celebrate the birthday of the Russian Geographical Society - one of the oldest Russian public organizations, and the only one that has existed continuously since its creation in 1845.

Just think about it: neither wars, nor revolutions, nor periods of devastation, timelessness, or the collapse of the country stopped its existence! There have always been daredevils, scientists, crazy researchers who, both in prosperous and in the most difficult times, took any risk for the sake of science. And even now, at the moment, new full members of the Russian Geographical Society are on their way. "WORLD 24" tells only about some of the great travelers who glorified the Russian Geographical Society.

Ivan Krusenstern (1770 – 1846)

Photo: unknown artist, 1838.

Russian navigator, admiral, one of the initiators of the creation of the Russian Geographical Society. He led the first Russian round-the-world expedition.

Even in his youth, fellow students in the Naval Cadet Corps noted the unbending, “maritime” character of the future Russian admiral. His faithful comrade-in-arms, friend and rival Yuri Lisyansky, who became the commander of the second ship in their legendary circumnavigation, noted that the main qualities of cadet Kruzenshtern were “reliability, commitment and lack of interest in everyday life.”

It was then, during his years of study, that his dreams of exploring distant lands and oceans were born. However, they did not come true soon, only in 1803. The first Russian round-the-world expedition included the ships “Nadezhda” and “Neva”.
During this expedition, a new route was established to Russian possessions in Kamchatka and Alaska. The map was marked West Coast Japan, the southern and eastern parts of Sakhalin, part of the Kuril ridge has been comprehensively studied.

Photo: “I. F. Kruzenshtern in Avacha Bay”, Friedrich Georg Veitch, 1806

During his trip around the world, measurements of current speeds, temperatures at different depths, determination of salinity and specific gravity of water, and much more were carried out. Thus, Ivan Kruzenshtern became one of the founders of Russian oceanology.

Pyotr Semenov-Tien-Shansky (1827 – 1914)

Photo: Alexandre Quinet, 1870

Vice-chairman of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society and its leading scientist - but not an armchair one. He was a brave and persistent pioneer. He explored Altai, Tarbagatai, Semirechensky and Zailiysky Alatau, Lake Issyk-Kul. Only climbers will be able to appreciate the path that the brave traveler took through the inaccessible mountains of the Central Tien Shan, where Europeans had not yet been able to reach. He discovered and for the first time conquered the peak of Khan Tengri with glaciers on its slopes and proved that the opinion of the international scientific world that a range of volcanoes erupts in these places is wrong. The scientist also found out where the Naryn, Saryjaz and Chu rivers take their sources, and penetrated into the previously untrodden upper reaches of the Syr Darya.

Semenov-Tien-Shansky became the actual creator of the new Russian geographical school, offering the international scientific world a fundamentally new way of knowledge. Being at the same time a geologist, botanist and zoologist, he first began to consider natural systems in their unity. And he compared the geological structure of the mountains with the mountainous relief and identified patterns on which the whole scientific world.

Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay (1846-1888)

Photo: ITAR-TASS, 1963.

The famous Russian traveler, anthropologist, explorer, who made a number of expeditions to the previously unexplored New Guinea and other islands of the Pacific Ocean. Accompanied by only two servants, he lived among the Papuans for a long time, collected rich materials about primitive peoples, made friends with them, and helped them.

Here is what his biographers write about the scientist: “The most characteristic of Miklouho-Maclay is a striking combination of the traits of a brave traveler, a tireless researcher-enthusiast, a widely erudite scientist, a progressive thinker-humanist, an energetic public figure, a fighter for the rights of oppressed colonial peoples. Such qualities individually are not particularly rare, but the combination of all of them in one person is a completely exceptional phenomenon.”

In his travels, Miklouho-Maclay also collected a lot of data about the peoples of Indonesia and Malaya, the Philippines, Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia and western Polynesia. He was ahead of his time. His works were not sufficiently appreciated in the 19th century, but anthropological researchers of the 20th and 21st centuries consider his contribution to science to be a real scientific feat.

Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839-1888)

Photo: ITAR-TASS, 1948.

Russian military leader, major general, one of the greatest Russian geographers and travelers, who consciously prepared himself for travel from his high school days.

Przhevalsky devoted 11 years of his life to long expeditions. First, he led a two-year expedition to the Ussuri region (1867-1869), and after that, in 1870 - 1885, he made four trips to little-known regions of Central Asia.

The first expedition to the Central Asian region was devoted to the exploration of Mongolia, China and Tibet. Przhevalsky collected scientific evidence that the Gobi is not a plateau, and the Nanshan Mountains are not a ridge, but mountain system. The researcher is responsible for the discovery of a whole series of mountains, ridges, and lakes.

On the second expedition, the scientist discovered new Altyntag mountains, and for the first time described two rivers and a lake. And thanks to his research, the border of the Tibet plateau had to be moved more than 300 km to the north on maps.

In the third expedition, Przhevalsky identified several ridges in Nanshan, Kunlun and Tibet, described Lake Kukunor, as well as the upper reaches of the great rivers of China, the Yellow River and the Yangtze. Despite his illness, the discoverer organized a fourth expedition to Tibet in 1883-1885, during which he discovered a number of new lakes and ridges.

He described more than 30 thousand kilometers of the path he had traveled and collected unique collections. He discovered not only mountains and rivers, but also hitherto unknown representatives of the animal world: a wild camel, a Tibetan bear, a wild horse.
Like many outstanding geographers of that time, Przhevalsky was the owner of a good and lively literary language. He wrote several books about his travels, in which he gave a vivid description of Asia: its flora, fauna, climate and the peoples inhabiting it.

Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky (1863-1944)

Photo: Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky, 1912.

The founder of the era of color photography in Russia. He was the first to capture in color nature, cities and the lives of people over a vast area from Baltic Sea to the East of Russia.

He created a color rendering system for photography: from the recipe for the emulsion that is applied to glass plates for photography, to the drawings of special equipment for color photography and the projection of the resulting color images.

Since 1903, he has been continuously traveling: with the obsession of a true traveler, he photographs the natural beauties of Russia, its inhabitants, cities, architectural monuments - all genuine attractions Russian Empire.

In December 1906-January 1907, with the expedition of the Russian Geographical Society, Prokudin-Gorsky traveled to Turkestan to photograph a solar eclipse. It was not possible to capture the eclipse in color, but the ancient monuments of Bukhara and Samarkand, colorful local types of people and much more were photographed.

In the fall of 1908, Nicholas II himself provided Prokudin-Gorsky with the necessary means of transport and gave permission to shoot in any place, so that the photographer could capture “in natural colors” all the main attractions of the Russian Empire from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean. In total, it is planned to take 10 thousand photographs over 10 years.

Just a few days after the meeting with the Tsar, the photographer sets off along the Mariinsky waterway from St. Petersburg almost to the Volga. For three and a half years he has been continuously moving and photographing. First he takes photographs of the northern part of the industrial Urals. Then he makes two trips along the Volga, capturing it from its very origins to Nizhny Novgorod. In between, he films the southern part of the Urals. And then - numerous ancient monuments in Kostroma and the Yaroslavl province. In the spring and autumn of 1911, the photographer managed to visit the Trans-Caspian region and Turkestan twice more, where he tried color filming for the first time in history.

Then follow two photo expeditions to the Caucasus, where he photographs the Mugan steppe, takes a grand trip along the planned Kama-Tobolsk waterway, conducts extensive photography of areas associated with the memory of the Patriotic War of 1812 - from Maloyaroslavets to Lithuanian Vilna, photographs Ryazan, Suzdal, construction of the Kuzminskaya and Beloomutovskaya dams on the Oka River.

Then financial difficulties begin and funding for expeditions is interrupted. In 1913-1914 Prokudin-Gorsky is creating the first color cinema. But further development this new project was prevented by the First World War. None of Prokudin-Gorsky's experimental color films have yet been found.

Artur Chilingarov (born in 1939)

Photo: Fedoseev Lev/ITAR-TASS

Famous polar explorer, Hero of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Russian Federation, prominent Russian scientist, author of a number of scientific works on the problems of development of the North and the Arctic. Lives and works in Moscow.

Since 1963, he has been studying the Arctic Ocean and the oceanic atmosphere at the Arctic Research Observatory in the village of Tiksi. In 1969, he headed the North Pole-19 station, created on drifting ice, from 1971 he worked as the head of the Bellingshausen station, and since 1973 - the head of the North Pole-22 station. In 1985, he led the operation to save the worn-out Antarctic ice expedition vessel "Mikhail Somov". The icebreaker Vladivostok broke the ice around the diesel-electric ship and freed its crew from the blockade, which lasted as long as 133 days.

In 1987, Chilingarov led the team nuclear icebreaker"Siberia", which in free navigation reached the geographical North Pole. In January 2002, the traveler proved the possibility of operating light aviation in Antarctica: he reached the South Pole on a single-engine An-ZT aircraft.

Photo: Denisov Roman/ITAR-TASS

In the summer of 2007, the famous polar explorer led an Arctic expedition on the ship Akademik Fedorov, which proved that the Arctic Ocean shelf is a continuation of the Siberian continental platform. The Mir-1 and Mir-2 spacecraft were sank to the bottom of the ocean, with Chilingarov himself on board one of them. He also set a unique record as the first person in the world to visit both the South and North Poles within six months.

Nikolay Litau (born 1955)

Photo: from the archive

Honored Master of Sports, Russian yachtsman, who made three trips around the world on the yacht “Apostle Andrey” built under his leadership. Awarded the Order of Courage. During three round-the-world trips, “Apostle Andrey” left 110 thousand nautical miles astern, visited all the continents of the planet, passed all the oceans and set five world records.

This is what Nikolai Litau told the MIR 24 correspondent: “On the Apostle Andrew I made three circumnavigations. The first is around the Eastern Hemisphere through the Northern Sea route, the second - around the Western Hemisphere, through the straits of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and the third - the Antarctic: in 2005-06 we circled Antarctica, being all the time above 60 degrees latitude, the invisible border of Antarctica. No one has yet repeated the latter. The fourth global voyage in which I had the opportunity to take part took place in 2012-13. It was an international trip around the world, its route passed mainly through warm and comfortable tropical latitudes. I was a captain-mentor on Russian yacht Royal Leopard and completed half the distance. During this voyage, I crossed my anniversary - the tenth equator. In recent years, we have been engaged in memorial trips on the yacht “Apostle Andrey” in the Russian Arctic. We remember the names of outstanding Russian sailors: Vladimir Rusanov, Georgy Sedov, Boris Vilkitsky, Georgy Brusilov and others.”

Photo: from the archive

Exactly a year ago, Nikolai Litau traveled to the Arctic for the eleventh time on the yacht “Apostol Andrey”. The route of this trip passed through the White, Barents and Kara Seas; the islands of the Arctic Institute in the Kara Sea were explored. New expeditions are ahead.