author
Alexander Mackenzie
1764–1820
Best known for the 1793 expedition that reached the Pacific overland, he opened up new maps of northern North America through a mix of ambition, endurance, and careful observation. His journeys also became part of the story of the fur trade and westward expansion in Canada.
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About the author
Born in Scotland around 1764, he emigrated to North America as a young man and entered the fur trade, eventually becoming associated with the North West Company. Working out of the Athabasca country gave him the chance to plan major expeditions into regions that were still little known to Europeans.
His name is most closely tied to two landmark journeys. In 1789, he followed the great river that now bears his name to the Arctic Ocean; in 1793, he completed an overland expedition to the Pacific, becoming the first European recorded to cross North America north of Mexico. He later published an account of his travels, helping shape how readers in Britain and beyond understood the geography and commercial possibilities of the continent.
Later in life he returned to Scotland, married in 1812, and died in 1820 near Dunkeld. Remembered as an explorer, fur trader, and author, he remains a central figure in the history of exploration in Canada.