Race for the North Pole
The race was on! In 1909 in the far north, Matthew Henson and Robert Peary struggled against icy blasts of wind. They traveled in a special vehicle—a dog sled— because cars and trucks  could not pass across the frozen Arctic Ocean. That’s because the foundation of the ocean is an unsteady base of gleaming ice chunks. Their progress was slow and difficult. Icy winds  prevented them from seeing. Huge boulders of ice blocked their path. Because of these obstacles, the men couldn’t tell if they were on the mainland, on an island, or on the frozen ocean. 
The bitter cold was more than a nuisance. It was a huge challenge, something to overcome. Frostbite was an ever-present danger. As a precaution, the men wore thick fur jackets, hats, and gloves to protect them from the biting wind. 
Their target was the North Pole. They wanted to be the first to reach this goal. This was their fifth attempt! Would their scheme, or plan, work this time? Now they had a rival, another explorer named Frederick Cook. He, too, wanted to be the first to reach the North Pole. Cook was in close pursuit, just a little behind them. Henson and Peary had two advantages. First, they got a  lot of help from the Inuit people of the Arctic. Henson knew their language and could talk easily with them because he had worked with them as an agent, making deals for food and other  supplies. 
Second, Henson was a genius when it came to fixing things. He was so clever and gifted at this that he served as the group’s mechanic, repairing all the equipment.
On April 6, 1909, Matthew Henson and Robert Peary succeeded in being the first to reach the North Pole! They shouted in joy, raised the American flag, and then started the long journey home.