Q: Why was Henry Hudson sailing on the Half Moon and was he successful?
A: Captain Hudson first sailed northeast from Amsterdam in an attempt to find a northeast passage around Russia. After failing in this search, he chose to disobey his contractual orders, which were to return to Amsterdam immediately if he could not break through the ice. Instead, he turned west and sailed across the Atlantic to the New World to seek a northwest passage. Once there, he sailed south from Newfoundland to Chesapeake Bay, and then north again along the coast and finally up what is now called the Hudson River. d'Halve Maen entered the Hudson River on September 11th, 1609 and arrived near the current site of Albany on September 19th. Having surrendered the hope that the river was the northwest passage he sought, Hudson turned around and arrived back in England on November 7th. Upon his arrival, Hudson's papers were confiscated and he was placed under house arrest for sailing for another country!
