Should the blame for the failure of the British Terra Nova Expedition (1911) be assigned to poor weather conditions and other external circumstances or Scott's leadership?

A. Plan of Investigation

1.) Subject of investigation - Should the blame for the failure of the British Terra Nova Expedition (1911) be assigned to poor weather conditions and other external circumstances or Scott's leadership?

2.) Methods of investigation

a.) Much of the evidence shall come from the journals of the men of the expedition itself. These journals are the only primary source of the final critical legs of the journey.

b.) Internet search for articles which will be selected based on comprehensiveness, relevance, and reliability. Articles which focus on Scott will be paid special attention to.

c.) Books analyzing why the expedition failed will be found and read,

paying particular attention to Scott, the leader of the expedition's choice of men and means of transportation.

e.) A critical examination of the men's backgrounds, with specific attention paid to their war and other records will be undertaken in order to discern the men's fitness for an expedition of such a manner.

Scott and his men at the south pole. Left to right...

Hut remaining from the Discovery expedition with M...

English: Last expedition of Robert Falcon Scott. T...

By examining these sources a conclusion will be created by deciding what role external circumstances played in the failure of the expedition as compared to the decisions made by Scott himself.

B. Summary of Evidence

1.) Background

a.) Discovery Expedition - Sir Clements Markham, with the funding of the

National Geographic Society, planned the first British expedition to Antarctica in 1901. This expedition, dubbed the Discovery, had goals of the scientific sort, with the intent of collecting information on the climate. Markham chose Robert Scott, a young naval officer to lead the expedition. Another man, Ernest Shakleton was also chosen to accompany the group. This first expedition explored the Ross Ice Shelf and collected some first data about the climate of the continent.

b.) Shakleton Expedition - In 1907 Ernest Shakleton returned to the continent with the intent of...