Aneste J.

Disappointment to Discovery - The Life and Adventures of Alexander Mackenzie

Aneste J.
Surrey Regional Heritage Fair
Surrey, BC

Alexander Mackenzie was born in Scotland, sometime between 1762 and 1764. Scotland was getting too crowded and the alluring call of adventure and riches from the New World was irresistible. Alexander boarded The Peace and Plenty, a merchant ship bound for North America. Alexander traveled to Montreal, where he became a clerk for the Northwest Company. Alexander traveled to Lake Athabasca, where he built a new fort named Fort Chipewyan, and that became the new hub for Alexander to rest after his expeditions. His explorations began with the hope of finding a faster way to trade with China and Russia, without having to go all the way around Africa. Mackenzie knew that he could find a way if he crossed Canada East to West. With 10 men and 4 Indigenous women that would paddle and hunt and help cook, Mackenzie felt ready to follow the 1,100km long river.  As Mackenzie explored northwest the sun would stay up all day and the voyagers paddled for almost the entire day without knowing it. In 1789, they reached the end of the river and found it sealed by ice, they could go no further. He named the river “Disappointment”, but it was later renamed Mackenzie in his honor. The next year he did make it to the Pacific, but this route would not be useful to the Northwest Company. They wanted to find a commercial route that was mostly accessible by water, and the route that Mackenzie took was mostly portaging. Still, Alexander was the first explorer to reach the Pacific Ocean through Canada. On a rock that can still be found today, Alexander wrote in bear grease  “Alex Mackenzie From Canada by land the 22nd of July 1793”. Alexander Mackenzie’s determination shows us that our disappointments can sometimes lead to discoveries. 

What sources and evidence did you consult for your project? What different perspectives did they provide on your topic?

The sources I used were biographies and historical archives from the library. I did use an online encyclopedia however, I found that the internet at times could be an unreliable resource. The archive in Scotland with Alexander's birth records burned down and some of the sources we have today have varying reports.  

What is the historical significance of your topic?

Alexander Mackenzie was the first explorer to make it to the Pacific Ocean through North America. Although he was trying to find a water-based passageway to China and Russia to further the fur trade, he found that this was not possible. The route to the Pacific was mostly portages, or the northern route was blocked by sea ice. However Alexander Mackenzie's maps actually were used by Napoleon to plan an invasion into Canada through Alaska. Thankfully Napoleon was defeated before this was carried out.

Why did you choose this topic? 

I chose this topic because I was learning about the fur trade and came across the story of Alexander Mackenzie. I feel that most people know about Lewis & Clark discovering the Pacific but most people don't know about Alexander. The funny thing is that Alexander's voyage inspired Thomas Jefferson to send Lewis & Clark on their famous expedition.