Even though Robert Peary is credited with being the first man to “discover” the North Pole is 1909, he was not the first to explore the arctic area. In the 19^th century, the North Pole was the dominate uncharted territory and a multitude of adventurers attempted to reach the harsh, cold arctic, but the parulis journey was often funded by private organizations and governments. The prospect of obtaining the unattainable was appealing to a multitude of people. The most well-known is John Franklin’s expedition in 1845 as four of sixty-six members died and the rest starved.

 https://perc.org/2001/06/01/arctic-expeditions-of-the-19th-century/