Shackleton's Expedition

Paper Summary:

Antarctic expeditions became the symbol of ordeals, especially during the Heroic Age of Exploration when Ernest Shackleton capably led a pack of 27 officers, scientists and seamen for almost two years in a trapped, stranded and then crushed expedition ship named Endurance. The paper shows that polar explorers of the time were held up as heroes, often tragic ones, by the people for their unusual sacrifices. Shackleton earned the praise and recognition to a superior degree for the way he managed his team and the daring he exuded during the 1914-1916 British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The paper shows that these 27 men and millions will always remember how he placed his crew's total well-being above all other considerations in those most trying and nearly desperate times in the pack ice of the Weddell Sea. The paper presents a thorough look at Shackleton's leadership skills.

From the Paper:

"Shackleton's objective was to cross the Antarctic content from coast to coast through the South Pole with a distance of approximately 1800 miles from the Weddell Sea, south of South America, a completely un-explored region of Antarctica. From there, he and his crew would proceed to the South Pole and into the Ross Sea south of New Zealand. They were on board a newly constructed ship intended for tourist cruises in the Arctic shipyard in Norway. Despite Shackleton's warning, applications from volunteers poured in. Funding even first became a problem and Shackleton desperately sought money while recruiting and preparing those he selected. Funding was finally secured by July 1914."

More papers on Shackleton's Expedition:

• Term Paper # 133400 : "The Enduring Popularity of Ernest Shackleton"
• Term Paper # 104104 : "The Enduring Popularity of Ernest Shackleton"
• Essay # 57757 : "Bruce Shackleton's "Meeting the Shadow at Work"

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