Matthew Henson and the Journey North
How do people travel across an ocean covered in ice? More than a century ago, explorer Matthew Henson helped answer that question. He learned from Inuit people whose knowledge of the Arctic was essential to expeditions in the far north.
Henson was born in Maryland on August 8, 1866. Today, people can use his birthday as a chance to remember his achievements and the many people who made Arctic travel possible. The date of his birth is a recorded fact; birthday observances are ways people choose to honor him later.
As a young man, Henson worked aboard a ship and traveled to distant places. He met Robert Peary, a naval officer who hired him. Henson went on to join Peary on several Arctic expeditions. Their shared goal was to reach the North Pole, the northernmost point on Earth.
The route was far from simple. The Arctic Ocean is covered by sea ice, but that ice is not a smooth, solid road. Winds and currents can push it into ridges or pull it apart, leaving stretches of open water. Travelers also faced bitter cold, strong winds, and months of darkness during the Arctic winter. They needed food, warm clothing, equipment, and a way to carry everything across the ice.
- expeditions:
- Journeys made for a particular purpose, such as exploration.
- currents:
- Steady movements of water in a particular direction.
- expertise:
- Knowledge and skill gained through learning and experience.
- vital:
- Extremely important or necessary.
- navigation:
- The process of finding a position and planning a route.
- disputed:
- Questioned or disagreed about.
- recognition:
- Attention or appreciation given for someone's work or achievements.
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Main Idea
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Context Clues
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Summarize
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Purpose
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Structure
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Fact & Opinion
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What is the main idea of the passage, and which two details support it?
- 2Why was sea ice difficult to travel across?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Matthew Henson and the Journey North” is a explanatory article reading passage about Arctic exploration, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (533 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.