Ernest Shackleton was an Antarctic explorer who is best known for his 1914-1917 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. He and his crew of 27 men set out to cross the Antarctic continent, but their ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the ice and eventually sank. Despite the harsh conditions, Shackleton and his crew managed to survive and eventually made it back to safety. Shackleton's courage and leadership during the expedition earned him a place in history as one of the greatest explorers of all time.