Overview

Because dense jungles and dangerous rivers made exploration difficult, little was known about the interior of South America in the early and mid nineteenth century. Despite the many dangers and difficulties in this region, Robert Hermann Schomburgk (1804-1865), a German-born explorer and naturalist, hired by the British government, traveled the rivers of present-day Guyana, Brazil, and Venezuela. He mapped geographical features and collected geological and botanical specimens. After discovering how major rivers connected, Schomburgk marked the boundaries of what became the modern nations. His exploration and mapping also opened the rivers for transport and commerce. Schomburgk's efforts also had the unintentional impact of paving the way for...