While one could argue that virtually everyone who has been through the American educational system has at least heard of Moby Dick, the whaling industry, an element main character of the epic, is not doing so well. known. In order to fully understand and appreciate this excellent work, it is in my opinion important to have some understanding of the industry on which it is centered. This is especially true because whaling was a very important aspect of 19th century culture and, although much less popular, still exists today. Throughout this essay, I will give a brief history of whaling, explain why it was such an important industry in the 19th century, talk about whaling in modern times, and finally, relate it to the novel. Although it was not popularized until around the 19th century, whaling as a source of food and materials is believed to date back to prehistoric times. Experts estimate that people in what is now Korea were hunting whales as early as 5,000 BC, while the first inhabitants of Norway began hunting these enormous mammals about a thousand years later (Encyclopedia.com, 2008 ). Many early Native American tribes of the Northwest Coast also engaged in whaling (Encyclopedia.com, 2008). These peoples traditionally used canoes or boats made of animal skins to hunt whales when groups of them passed by during migration. Over time, other peoples, such as the Japanese and the Aleuts, began hunting these enormous creatures. The Japanese used nets, while the Aleuts used poisoned spears and the Inuit used jointed-head harpoons (Jackson, 2011). Although early people who hunted whales for subsistence only targeted small whales such as belugas and narwhals, whaling remained a very dangerous activity (Encyclopedia.com, 2001).The Basque. ..... middle of paper ..... .o eventually allow commercial whaling again (Encylopedia.com, 2008).Works CitedEncyclopedia.com. (2008) “Whaling”. Retrieved December 7, 2011 from: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-whaling.htmlFears, Niki. (2009) Brighthub.com “Whaling in the 20th century and the eve of extinction”. Retrieved December 12, 2011 from: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/17115.aspxJackson, Gordon (2011) Britannica.com “Whaling”. Retrieved December 7, 2011 from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/641450/whalingKeet, Andrew. (2009) Whales.org.za. “The History of Whaling” Retrieved December 12, 2011 From: http://www.whales.org.za/facts/whaling.aspxMcNamara, Robert. (2007) About.com. “History of the 19th century whaling industry”. Retrieved December 10, 2011: http://history1800s.about.com/od/whaling/a/Histwhaling.htm