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Throughout history, the achievements of Scots have extended far beyond the borders of their own small country. Scottish explorers, such as Richardson, Ross, and McLure were among 
the Europeans braving the Arctic on a quest for the Northwest Passage, and in the meantime charting the course of Canadian history.
In 1789, Sir Alexander Mackenzie became one such representative of Scotland when he became the first European to travel the length of the Mackenzie River. At the time, Mackenzie was a fur trader and the river, second in North America only to the Mississippi, was nameless. Mackenzie did make it to the Pacific, although of course he never found that sought-after water route. He commanded Fort Chipewyn in Alberta for eight years while exploring Western Canada and the Arctic. In 1793, he became the first European to reach the Pacific north of Mexico by crossing overland. Mackenzie was knighted for his achievements in exploration. He went on to support Britain's dominion over the Pacific Northwest. | ||
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