Early adventurers to the Arctic were searching for new shorter sea routes to China and India, rather than trying to find the Arctic. Explorers such as Frobisher and Davis went on a number of expeditions during the 16th century to look for the North-west Passage, a sea route going west over the top of North America. Various people have tried to reach the North Pole on foot, including Peary and Cook in the early 20th Century.
Robert E Peary
The earliest sighting of Antarctica was by Bellingshausen in 1820, less than 200 years ago. During the early 20th Century, the historic expeditions of Mawson, Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen made major contributions to the geographical exploration of Antarctica.
Poles apart - Antarctica and the Arctic 
