10 Epic Expeditions That Changed History
- Thread starter Andrew Panteli
- Start date
bajajoaquin
Adventurer
I am not sure that Apollo 11 really fits there if the criteria is "changed history." An epic undertaking, a triumph of human endeavor, to be sure. But I don't see that it's changed history yet. It may, but it may end up being a dead-end, like the European colonization of Greenland (not the Erik the Red effort, but the one where they imported stained glass windows for their church rather than stuff they needed).
I look at it in the same way as I look at the Basque discovery of the new world when finding cod fishing grounds. An adventure, they were first, sure. But since nothing in history followed it, there's no "changed history" aspect to it.
I look at it in the same way as I look at the Basque discovery of the new world when finding cod fishing grounds. An adventure, they were first, sure. But since nothing in history followed it, there's no "changed history" aspect to it.
overlander
Expedition Leader
You could say the same about the North Pole, but there is value in epic symbology in the geopolitical arena, as well as the commercial value of the R&D.
There are many great expeditions, but very few that really mattered.
moroza
New member
+1
The Vinland colony didn't do much for history, either. I'd say the Greenland settlement was more relevant, actually, because it's a good textbook example of what not to do. One we (the 7 billion "we") could still stand to learn from, in fact.
I would add the Portuguese expeditions to Africa in the 15th century, as expeditions that changed history.