Compare and contrast the United States Exploring Expedition and the HMS Challenger expedition. How was each of these expeditions pioneering in their own right?

Answer 1

· The Challenger expedition was a purely science based voyage. It is reasonable to say that this voyage was influenced by its predecessors, but this ship was directed by scientists. The mission was to see if there was life below 549 meters.
· The Challenger had equipment that solved previous issues regarding sampling of the deep sea. This included a steam powered winch and a system of nets and grabs.
· The Challenger mission discovered 4,717 new species. At the end of the expedition, information, charts, and illustrations were compiled into a fifty volume report.
· The United States Exploring expedition was the first hybrid venture. Although science studied the ocean, it was primarily a naval voyage. The mission included showing the American flag, charting waters, observing, and, interestingly enough, disproving the theory that the Earth was hollow and could be entered into at the poles.
· The United States expedition explored the west coast of North America, and their findings were especially valuable when connected to the map of the Rocky Mountains.
· The United States expedition collected many specimens and artifacts that would later be housed in the Smithsonian. The voyage also collected enough information to generate a 19 volume report.
· Both expeditions had goals to pursue ocean science. This was not a common occurrence at their time. They collected samples and charted waters and there findings were immensely valuable to the world.