For centuries, European explorers had traveled the world and reached far-flung places that had once seemed out of reach. By the mid-19th century, almost all the world had been mapped, trade routes had been established, and colonies had been built. But one of the last frontiers of civilization was the Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago that would connect the North Atlantic to the Pacific and make trade with China much quicker.
Yet finding the route was easier said than done, and one particular expedition became all too aware of this reality. So, what, exactly, happened to Franklin’s expedition? Why did it fail? Click on to find out.