Expedition to the Americas

Alexander von Humboldt · 1799 CE – 1804 CE · Earth

Study the natural world of the Americas.

Historical context

Humboldt set out to measure the natural world, not to conquer or trade. His instruments turned mountains, rivers and climate into connected systems and helped found modern geography.

The voyage, step by step

1. Landing in Venezuela

   1799 CE

   Humboldt and Bonpland begin five years of measurement and collection in the Americas.

2. Up the Orinoco

   1800 CE

   They trace the river's connection to the Amazon and study its peoples and wildlife.

3. Climbing Chimborazo

   1802 CE

   He reaches within a few hundred metres of a summit no one has climbed.

4. The Peruvian coast

   1802 CE

   He measures the cold current that later bears his name and studies the guano islands.

5. Mexico and home

   1803 CE

   He surveys New Spain and returns to Europe with a mountain of data.

Outcome

Crossed the Andes and transformed geography.

Alexander von Humboldt

German naturalist and explorer whose five-year expedition in the Americas founded modern geography and ecology.

Read on Wikipedia

Sources

• Alexander von Humboldt — Wikipedia

Continue exploring

• Search for the NigerMungo Park · 1795 CE – 1797 CE
• Crossing the continentAlexander Mackenzie · 1789 CE – 1793 CE
• Down the Mississippi to the GulfRené-Robert Cavelier de La Salle · 1682 CE
• From Istanbul to MeccaEvliya Çelebi · 1671 CE – 1672 CE