The first person to reach the North Pole is widely considered to be Robert Peary, an American explorer. He claimed to have arrived at the North Pole on April 6, 1909, after a grueling journey that took him and his team nearly 37 days in the harsh Arctic conditions. However, this claim has been subject to controversy and debate, with challenges to the accuracy of his navigation and data recording. Some historians believe that Peary may not have reached the exact geographic North Pole, but his expedition marked a significant achievement in polar exploration during the early 20th century.