Alexander Mackenzie (exploring)

See also: Alexander Mackenzie

Alexander Mackenzie (1764 - March 11th 1820) was a Canadian explorer of Scottish origin.

He was born with Stornoway, on the island of Lewis in the Archipel of the external Hébrides. In 1774, its family moves with New York then with Montreal in 1776 during the Guerre of independence of the United States of America. In 1779, it is engaged by the Compagnie of the North-West (North West Company).

He discovers the Fleuve Mackenzie the July 10th 1789 and descends it by canoe, in the hope to find a passage north-western towards the Pacific Ocean. But it reaches finally the Arctic Ocean. In 1791 it goes to England to study the discoveries to the measure of the Longitude. It sets out again in 1792 with the research of the passage towards the Pacific and crosses the Rocky Mountains. It borrows the course of the river Fraser and reached the west coast of Canada the July 22nd. He is the first European to cross the North-American continent .

In 1804, he is elected Député of Huntingdon to the Room of Parliament of Low-Canada. He takes part only in the first parliamentary session and supports the party of the bureaucrats.

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