Vitus Bering

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/vitus-bering

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Vitus Bering born?Circa 1681
2. When did Vitus Bering die?December 19, 1741 (age approximately 60)
3. Where was Vitus Bering born?Horsens, Denmark
4. What was the main goal of Bering's first expedition?The first expedition wanted to find out if Asia and North America were connected. Bering sailed from the Sea of Okhotsk, crossed the Kamchatka Peninsula, and entered the Arctic Ocean to test this.
5. How did Bering discover the Bering Strait?While sailing north, Bering saw an ice pack and turned south. He charted the waters between the continents, and the strait that now bears his name was named after him.

Cartography: The science or practice of drawing maps.
Imperial Expeditions: Journeys organized and funded by an empire to explore, conquer, or expand its influence.
Naturalist: A scientist who studies living organisms and their environments.