Scots Who Found the Modern World

For over two centuries a remarkable collection of Scots blazed a trail into unknown corners of the world. Their epic journeys in the harshest of conditions helped forge nations and draw the maps of three continents. From the frozen wastes of Canada to the heart of Africa and across the oceans to the parched deserts of Australia, Scottish explorers have been at the forefront of expanding the frontiers of the world in which we live. This is the story of how they did it. For over one hundred years, Scottish explorers were instrumental in opening up Africa to western eyes. This film profiles some of the most remarkable of these explorers, including Mungo Park, Alexander Gordon Laing, Hugh Clapperton, and John Kirk. From Timbuktu to Zanzibar, the Scottish influence on African history is profound and enduring.

For over two centuries, Scots blazed a trail into unknown corners of the world, journeyed in the harshest of conditions and helped forge nations and map continents. Few countries have been as influenced by Scottish explorers as Canada. Scots dominated the country's lucrative fur trade and often ventured deep into the Arctic, unlocking long-standing geographical mysteries. This film follows the exploits of Scottish explorers in Canada, including John Rae, Simon Fraser and James Clark Ross, as they battled some of the world's most forbidding and beautiful landscapes.

For centuries, the island continent of Australia remained a blank space on the map. Its fierce climate and vast empty interior remained untouched and untamed. Among the explorers who opened up the country were a remarkable collection of Scots. This film tells the story of the Scottish exploration of Australia - a tale of astonishing skill, bravery and fortitude in one of the most difficult environments on earth.