I.

Introduction

Northwest Passage, navigable sea route along the northern coast of North America, connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean via the marine waterways of northern Canada and the coastal waters off northern Alaska.

Efforts to discover a route through or around North America began in the 1490s with the voyages of John Cabot, an Italian navigator sailing in the service of England. His 1497 expedition reached the island of Newfoundland, off the eastern coast of present-day Canada. At that time, Spain controlled the southern sea routes to Asia. Cabot’s expeditions stoked the desire to find a northern passage to provide other European powers a trade route between Europe and Asia. Expeditions were financed by English and Dutch trading companies, wealthy individuals, and later the British Royal Navy. However, the passage eluded numerous explorers who braved treacherous ice-choked waters and freezing temperatures in their search. In the process, they charted the Arctic archipelago as their valiant attempts took them through the maze of islands, straits, and bays north of the North American continent.