Henry Hudson
By: Laila A
Henry Hudson's Backround
Dutch East India company in Holland hired Henry Hudson as a sea captain. Henry set out to reach china by sailing across the top of Europe near the artic circle. His crew became tired and almost froze. They rebelled against Henry. Henry agreed to change the course and sail west across the Atlantic.
The Hudson River
In July Hudson and his men reached Maine and sailed to Chesapeake Bay. As they returned north, the ship entered a narrow harbor. Hudson saw a large body of water leading north. Believing this way was the North West passage , Hudson sailed sailed up the waterway. The water had become to shallow for Henry's boat he realized that it was only a river. Today this is called the Hudson River. But his voyage gave Holland a claim in North America. By 1624 the Dutch had settled in the Hudson valley.
The First Map
A year later in 1610 English merchants paid for Hudson to cross the Atlantic again. Sailing farther north, Hudson reached Canada . He passed through a long, narrow strait into a large area of water. Henry was sure that he had reached the Pacific Ocean . When he sailed down the coast he found no opening! Then the waters froze! And that large body of water was a bay its now called the Hudson Bay. He drew the first map of Hudson Bay.
The End
In spring the crew rebelled again. They sent Henry, his son and seven others in a super small boat with no food. He was never seen again. But his voyage did give England the claim to eastern Canada.