Explorer Henry Hudson

 

Born around 1565, Henry Hudson grew up in a world obsessed with finding new trade routes, particularly the elusive Northwest Passage—a supposed shortcut from Europe to Asia through the Arctic. It was the ultimate prize for any explorer, and Hudson was determined to find it or die trying.

In 1607, he set sail on his first big expedition, aiming to find a northern passage over the top of the world. Spoiler alert: he didn’t find it. Instead, he ran into a lot of ice. Undeterred, Hudson tried again the next year. And guess what? More ice. But Hudson wasn’t about to let a little frostbite stop him.

By 1609, Hudson was working for the Dutch East India Company and changed tactics. Instead of going north, he sailed west across the Atlantic, hoping to find a passage through North America. This time, he stumbled upon a big river. Not just any river, but the mighty one that would later be named the Hudson River in his honor. Hudson explored the river all the way to what is now Albany, New York, paving the way for Dutch colonization in the region.

In 1610, he embarked on his final and most fateful voyage, this time under the English flag. He ventured into what we now know as Hudson Bay, thinking he might have finally found the long-sought passage. But winter was coming, and it wasn’t just ice that threatened Hudson this time—it was his own crew.

Trapped in the bay by the freezing weather, tensions ran high. The crew, fed up with the harsh conditions and Hudson’s relentless pursuit of the nonexistent passage, mutinied. In a tragic turn of events, Hudson, his teenage son, and a handful of loyal crew members were set adrift in a small boat, never to be seen again. The mutineers made it back to England, but Hudson’s fate remains one of history’s great mysteries.

Despite his tragic end, Henry Hudson’s name lives on. He may not have found the Northwest Passage, but he opened unknown parts of the world to exploration and helped set the stage for European colonization in North America. So, the next time you find yourself crossing the Hudson River or hearing about Hudson Bay, remember the man who got lost trying to find a shortcut but ended up making his mark on history, anyway.