# Great Northern Expedition (1733)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1733-great-northern-expedition
Categories: main-event

Led by Vitus Bering, the Great Northern Expedition mapped the Arctic coast of Siberia and reached Alaska in 1741. Bering died on the Commander Islands. It was one of the largest scientific expeditions in history. The expedition laid the basis for Russian America.

## Why it matters
The expedition laid the basis for Russian America.

Ruler at the time: [Anna](https://history-russia.com/rulers/anna)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Great Northern Expedition](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Northern_Expedition)
- [Wikipedia — Vitus Bering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitus_Bering)
- [Wikipedia — Russian Empire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Great Northern Expedition](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Great+Northern+Expedition)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)