Encyclopedia of Exploration

The desire for knowledge, resources, and fame as well as a sense of duty and adventurousness has driven intrepid explorers away from their homes and into the unknown since the time of the first people. Human beings are naturally curious, and their ability to imagine what lies just beyond the horizon has helped them populate the globe, driven their technological advancements, and allowed them to discover new ways of surviving in even the most inhospitable of environments. Encyclopedia of Exploration is a two-volume reference to the history of human exploration over land, across and under seas, and into space. This must-have set - a fascinating, comprehensive reference covering core topics in the school curriculum for world history and geography - details various aspects of exploration, many of the great expeditions, and numerous explorers. Bridging the curiosity of today's students and general readers with the experiences of explorers of the past, the encyclopedia provides easy access to a wide range of important and interesting information. Volume I: The Explorers is a ""who was who"" of world explorers, while Volume II: Places, Technologies, and Cultural Trends covers other significant aspects of the history of exploration. The thematic organization of the volumes allows readers to access biographical profiles of important explorers in one volume, while referring to the second volume for entries on topics such as cartography, circumnavigation, navigation, shipbuilding, missionaries, the slave trade, the Vikings, women explorers, and the fur trade. This definitive reference to explorers and exploration features thorough coverage and a wide scope, making it an informative, fascinating resource suitable for students, researchers, and general readers. Volume I; Volume I: The Explorers focuses on the explorers, giving readers a sense of the human drama - the achievements and the challenges - that those who go where few or none have gone before must face. New entries include: Jacques Cousteau; Sir Vivian Fuchs; John Glenn, Jr.; Aleksei Leonov; Annie Peck; Valentina Tereshkova; And many more.; Volume II; Volume II: Places, Technologies, and Cultural Trends covers the technical, social, cultural, and geographical elements of world exploration. This volume's detailed, A-to-Z entries emphasize the many elements that have often determined the success or failure of a given mission.