David Thompson Characteristics

David Thompson: The Stargazer David Thompson was one of the most influential explorers in North American history. Thompson was likely the greatest cartographer and explorer of all time. He was an outdoorsman, navigator, scientist, artist, and ethnographer. His genius likely stems from three key traits, these traits being his admiration for Aboriginals, his intelligence, and his mental and physical toughness. David Thompson had a deep admiration for Aboriginal culture and the peoples of Aboriginal descent. Thompson even married Charlotte Small, a Métis woman whom he had thirteen children with. Thompson’s admiration for Aboriginal peoples is what created his passion for living off the land. “I had always admired the tact of the Indian in being
The job of an explorer required the overcoming of many challenging obstacles and hardships. Thompson travelled over 128, 747 km, a staggering number that was ten times higher than the miles travelled by Lewis & Clark. Throughout that astonishingly long journey, Thompson would’ve hiked many hills, mountains, rivers, etc. Thompson also faced the obstacles of extreme heat, extreme cold, snow, rain, etc. “Going over one set of falls, Thompson and his men lost their canoes and almost all their gear. They were near starvation when they limped into a Native encampment a week later.” This was not the only major hardship David Thompson faced during his career as an explorer. “He survived numerous accidents, a near fatal case of malaria, debilitating cholera, blindness in one eye, and rheumatism in his leg.” This proves just how mentally and physically tough David Thompson really was. Thompson’s upbringings were also tough as his father passed away when he was a young boy. This forced Thompson to be placed into a school of orphans and foundlings. With all these mental obstacles, Thompson still managed to work hard in school and receive an apprenticeship with the Hudson’s Bay Company at age 14. Without his mental and physical toughness, David Thompson would not have been able to succeed in his achievements as a legendary explorer. David Thompson truly is one of the greatest cartographers and explorers of all time. There is no doubt that without Thompson’s admiration for Aboriginals, his intelligence, and his mental and physical toughness he would never have been able to achieve the things he did. David Thompson is one of the most legendary explorers who ever lived and his legacy will never be