Henry Hudson – circa 1565–1611

A British sailor, Hudson made three voyages for England (1607, 1608, 1610–1611) and one for the Dutch (1609), all in an effort to discover the Northwest Passage
—a water route from Europe to Asia via the Arctic Ocean. Although he failed to discover the desired route, Hudson extensively explored the northeast coast, including Hudson River and Hudson’s Bay. During his last voyage, he, his son, and seven others fell victim to a mutiny and were cast adrift in Hudson’s Bay on June 22, 1611. They were never heard from again.