James Cook

Royal Navy captain and the greatest maritime explorer of the 18th century. Cook led three voyages of discovery that transformed European knowledge of the Pacific. On his first voyage (1768–71) he observed the transit of Venus from Tahiti and then charted both islands of New Zealand before mapping the entire eastern coast of Australia, claiming it for Britain as 'New South Wales'. His second voyage (1772–75) disproved the myth of a habitable Great Southern Continent, circumnavigating Antarctica at high latitudes; he was the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. The third voyage (1776–79) sought the Northwest Passage from the Pacific side and became the first European contact with Hawaii (which he named the Sandwich Islands). Cook was killed by Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay on 14 February 1779 during a dispute over a stolen boat. His charts remained in use by the Royal Navy well into the 19th century.

• Lived: 1728 CE – 1779 CE
• Nationality: british
• Roles: explorer, navigator, cartographer, Royal Navy captain

Related

• The Age of Exploration
• Cook's First Voyage: Transit of Venus and Pacific
• Cook Claims Eastern Australia for Britain
• Cook's Second Voyage: Circumnavigation of Antarctica
• Cook Discovers Hawaii and Death at Kealakekua Bay