James cook why is he important

Tasks Background Teachers' notes External links In , James Cook was renowned in Britain for his seamanship, surveying and exploring. He had commanded two voyages of discovery around the world and become the first European to visit many parts of the Pacific. During his first voyage , he was the first European to chart the eastern coastline of Australia and the coastline of New Zealand, leading to the British colonisation of these regions some years later.

Now promoted to captain, he set out on his third and final voyage of exploration , with two ships, the Resolution and Discovery. After so many years spent exploring, Cook was a confident commander. He burned towns and sank canoes in reprisal for minor thefts by the islanders during his visit to Tahiti in Was Cook tired or ill after all his years of voyaging? Did this affect his judgement? In January , Cook and his crew became the first Europeans to visit the Hawaiian islands.

They went on to explore the west coast of North America, where Cook tried and failed to pass the Bering Strait in his search for a northern passage between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The crew returned to Hawaii, landing at Kealakekua Bay on 17 January After leaving Hawaii for the second time, they unexpectedly returned just four days later, having suffered damage to the Resolution.

Tensions had risen during their previous visit, and only grew worse upon their return. On 14 February , Cook was killed in a confrontation with the Hawaiians. But why did tensions rise? And why was Cook killed?

James Cook was born in Marton, Yorkshire on 27 October He joined the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman in and his abilities meant that he rapidly rose in rank. During Cook made a second voyage round the world in the ships Resolution and Adventure , visiting many Pacific islands and sailing around the southern oceans to disprove the existence of a huge southern continent.

These expeditions found out lots of information about Pacific islands and peoples, and the artists on the voyages recorded the places and animals they saw. After failing to pass through the Bering Strait, they returned to Hawaii the following November and spent the next weeks sailing around the islands, making scientific observations and getting supplies, finally anchoring in Kealakekua Bay on 17 January Maybe this was a reason why the islanders welcomed him with great friendliness.

This idea has been contested by other historians, such as anthropologist Gananath Obeyesekere. However, friction soon developed between the crew and the islanders.

In , the planet Venus was due to pass in front of the Sun, a rare event visible only in the southern hemisphere. The British government decided to send an expedition to observe the phenomenon. A more secret motive was to search for the fabled southern continent. Those on board included astronomer Charles Green and botanist Joseph Banks. Endeavour arrived in Tahiti in April where Green was able to observe the transit of Venus. Endeavour continued on to New Zealand, and then sailed along the length of Australia's eastern coast, which had never before been seen by Europeans.

Cook claimed it for Britain and named it New South Wales. Cook and his crew then returned home, arriving in July In , not satisfied by his previous exploits, Cook set out on a second voyage to look for the southern continent. His two ships sailed close to the Antarctic coast but were forced to turn back by the cold.

Today, Cook's voyages are credited with helping to guide generations of explorers and with providing the first accurate map of the Pacific, and many believe that he did more to fill the map of the world than any other explorer in history. We strive for accuracy and fairness.

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