Biography of James Cook briefly, discoveries. English navigator and discoverer James Cook

The English naval sailor was born on October 27, 1728 in the town of Marton, and was a famous discoverer, cartographer, explorer and naval captain. He headed 3 largest sea expeditions to explore the World Ocean, which circumnavigated the world. Thanks to his knowledge, as well as his talent and accuracy in drawing up maps, his works were used by many sailors even before the second half of the 19th century. He was famous for his friendly and peaceful attitude towards the indigenous inhabitants of the territories he developed. He knew how to fight a disease that was terrible at that time, scurvy, from which many sailors died. Thanks to Cook, the mortality rate from the disease was reduced to almost zero.

Childhood and youth

Born into a poor family. His father was a Scottish farm laborer with very little salary. In addition to James, there were 4 more children in the family, so life was not easy for the family. In 1736, the whole family moved to the village of Great Ayton, where Cook Jr. was sent to school (today it has been turned into a museum). He studied there for 5 years, after which he began to actively help his father and got a job on a farm. After a short period of time, he became a manager. His naval career began at the age of 18, when he became a cabin boy on the Hercules coal miner. The discoverer’s greatest fame came from his 3 trips around the world, during which not only the maps were significantly refined, but also new lands and islands were discovered.

First circumnavigation expedition

The first round-the-world expedition took place in the period from 1768-1771. During this period, he was already an experienced navigator, so he was appointed captain of the Endeavor, which was the only ship on the expedition. The most significant discovery was a visit to the island of Tahiti, where the team established friendly relations with the local aborigines. For a long time during his stay on the island, James carried out his astronomical research, thanks to which he compiled maps with amazing accuracy and plotted routes. After sailing, the team went to New Zealand, and then reached the shores of Australia. Historically, it is generally accepted that it was the great English explorer who holds the banner of the discoverer of Australia. However, this is not entirely true, because long before him, the shores of the smallest continent were reached by the ship of the Dutch expedition. However, Cook reached the shores of Australia and declared the lands the property of the British Empire.

Second circumnavigation expedition

A new series of discoveries by the great traveler occurred in the period from 1772 to 1775. This time, 2 ships took part in the expedition: “Resolution” and “Adventure”. The most significant event was the crossing of the Antarctic Circle. His team was the first to succeed. An interesting fact is that during a strong storm the two ships lost visibility between themselves and only met in Charlotte Bay. Then the ships again visited the island of Tahiti, the Friendship Islands and New Zealand, near the shores of which they dispersed. Adventure returned to London, and James moved on. During further research, he managed to discover New Caledonia, South Georgia and only after that returned to London.

Third round-the-world expedition

In the period from 1776 to 1779, the third expedition around the world took place, in which again 2 ships took part: the already well-known “Resolution” and “Discovery”. The voyage began in the summer of 1776, during which the team discovered the Kerguelen Island. After this, the expedition continued and the ships arrived in Tasmania, then visited New Zealand and Friendship Island. During his third expedition around the world, Cook managed to discover Christmas Island and the Hawaiian Islands. The ships also went around the western part of North America and reached Alaska. On the way back, the ship visited the Hawaiian Islands again. However, the attitude of the local residents changed to belligerence and, despite all James’ attempts to resolve the conflict, he was killed in one of the skirmishes.

The future navigator James Cook was born in 1728 in England, in the family of a former farm laborer. After he received his education, the young man got a job as a cabin boy on his first ship.

Beginning of service in the navy

Even in his early youth, Cook decided that he would devote his life to the sea. In his free time from sailing, he studied related sciences - geography, astronomy and the history of exploration of new lands. In 1755, the Royal Navy accepted a new sailor. It was James Cook. The man’s brief biography included career growth from a simple sailor to a boatswain in just a month of service.

At this time it began against France and its allies. Cook participated in the battles on the ship Eagle and the blockade of the enemy coast. In 1758 he was sent to North America, where the struggle for colonies and resources continued between the two great maritime powers. At that time, Cook was a master - assistant captain. He, as a cartography specialist, was assigned to explore the channel and fairway. On its banks stood an important one that the British wanted to capture.

The master successfully completed his task, thanks to which the assault and capture of an important fortress took place. The Royal Navy was vitally important to such specialists as James Cook, whose short biography received a new twist. After returning home, he began to prepare for his first trip around the world.

First expedition

The state provided Cook with a small ship, the Endeavor. On it, an experienced sailor had to explore the southern seas in order to find an unknown continent, which was supposedly located in those extreme latitudes. The team also included experienced specialists - botanists and astronomers. This team was to be led by James Cook, whose short biography still attracts numerous readers.

In 1768 he left the port of Plymouth to end up in Tahiti. The captain was distinguished by the fact that he introduced strict discipline on the ship regarding the attitude towards the natives. The team was ordered not to enter into conflict with the savages under any circumstances, but, on the contrary, to try to build peaceful relations. This went against the usual practice of the colonialists, when the local population was massacred or enslaved. Traveler James Cook opposed this. The captain's brief biography does not contain evidence that he ever initiated a conflict with the natives.

New Zealand and Australia

After Tahiti came New Zealand, which was carefully explored by James Cook. The short biography of the navigator in each textbook includes a detailed description of his activities as a cartographer. He described in detail each coastline he passed by. His maps were used for another hundred years. On the Endeavor he discovered a bay, which he named Queen Charlotte Bay. The captain's name was given to the strait separating the two islands of New Zealand.

The east coast of Australia greeted the team with unprecedented plant species. Because of this, the bay in this region received the name Botanical. Europeans were amazed by the local fauna, including wild kangaroos. On June 11, 1770, the ship suffered a serious hole on the reef, which greatly slowed down the expedition.

When the leak was repaired, Endeavor set sail for Indonesia. There, the sailors became infected with malaria. The sanitary conditions of the voyages of that time were conducive to the spread of epidemics. However, Cook, thanks to the observance of hygiene rules and a change in diet, managed to overcome scurvy - the scourge of many sailors. But there were no effective drugs against malaria and dysentery yet. Therefore, when the Endeavor finally arrived in Cape Town, only 12 people remained on board, including Cook.

The first expedition proved that New Zealand is two islands. The main target (the southern continent) was never discovered. The east coast of Australia was mapped in detail.

Second expedition

In 1772, a new expedition was launched, led by James Cook. A short biography for children contains many fascinating travel details that attract young readers. These are mainly descriptions of amazing plants and animals of tropical fauna.

Cook's first target was Bouvet Island, which had previously been spotted from afar by a Norwegian expedition. However, the desired piece of land was never found, after which the team went further south. In January 1773, Resolution and Adventure crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time in the history of exploration. Due to severe weather conditions, the two ships even briefly lost sight of each other.

After a long voyage, the expedition headed to Tahiti and Huahine. There the British encountered aggressive behavior of the natives and even cannibalism. Subsequently, Cook headed due east, discovering New Caledonia and South Georgia. However, he never managed to reach the shores of Antarctica. This is where James Cook was heading. The biography, a brief summary of which captivates with vivid adventures, has become the subject of research by numerous historians.

The Last Expedition

In 1776, a new voyage began, led by James Cook. The biography, a summary of which is in all geography textbooks, includes such an interesting chapter. This time the captain received two ships - Resolution and Discovery.

On December 24, 1777, the expedition discovered the so-called in honor of the upcoming holiday. Here the sailors were able to see the solar eclipse with their own eyes. James Cook knew about its coming in advance, whose short biography included long days of studying astronomy.

Death

Already in January, Europeans saw the Hawaiian Islands for the first time. Here they rested, after which they went to the shores of Alaska and the Chukchi Sea. Along the way, the ships crossed Na Kuk and met with Russian explorers and industrialists.

From the polar seas the team returned to Hawaii. She was met by a crowd of about a thousand Aboriginal people. Conflicts constantly arose with the local residents, which is why they attacked the British. During one of the attacks on February 14, 1779, James Cook was killed. A very brief biography of this navigator should be known to any educated and erudite person. The captain became a national hero of Great Britain.

(1728-1779) English navigator and explorer

Captain James Cook, a famous English navigator and traveler, traveled the entire Pacific Ocean, visited Australia, New Zealand and many southern islands, which later became English colonies. If we try to briefly outline the routes of his travels, it turns out that he practically never left the ship.

James Cook was born in Yorkshire into the family of a day laborer, began serving as a cabin boy on merchant ships at the age of 18, switched to military service in 1755 and by the age of thirty was already considered an outstanding navigator.

After that, he made three famous expeditions: in 1768-1771 - to Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia, in 1772-1775 - to the South Pacific Ocean and in 1776-1779 - to the South and North Pacific Ocean, trying finding the Northern Strait and marking the Siberian tip of Asia for the first time on the map.

In 1768, James Cook set off on his first trip around the world. He was supposed to deliver a scientific expedition to the island of Tahiti to observe how Venus passes across the solar disk. For this purpose, he was provided with the ship Endeavor with a crew of 80 people; in addition, there were three scientists on board.

Cook successfully delivered the scientists to Tahiti and, after they made the necessary observations there, headed northwest. After a long journey, he discovered an archipelago consisting of two large islands. This was New Zealand. James Cook explored it and went further to Australia. In 1770, he discovered the Great Barrier Reef, landed in Botany Bay, explored the east coast of Australia and claimed it as British property under the name New South Wales. During this expedition, significant scientific materials were collected. This was done by James Cook's companions - botanist Joseph Banks and zoologist Sydney Parkinson. Then the navigator passed through the Torres Strait to the island of Java and, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, returned to England, circumnavigating the world in a western direction.

During his second voyage (1772-1775), James Cook set out in search of the "Southland" and for a more detailed survey of New Zealand and other islands of the Southern Hemisphere. Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle, but because of the ice he had to return. After numerous attempts to break through the ice, the navigator came to the conclusion that the vast Southern Land did not exist. However, he mapped a number of unknown islands in the South Pacific: the southern group of the New Hebrides, about. New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, South Sandwich Islands.

James Cook's third and final voyage began in 1776. He sailed from England on two ships - the Resolution and the Discovery. The purpose of the expedition was to try to find a route around North America - the so-called Northwest Passage. And again Cook went out into the Pacific Ocean.

In early 1778, he discovered the Hawaiian Islands. From here the navigator went north, to the east coast of America. He managed to reach the Bering Gulf, located near Alaska, and there he was forced to retreat under ice pressure. Shortly after James Cook returned to the Hawaiian Islands, he was killed during a confrontation with locals over a stolen boat.

The British people honor their hero as a skilled navigator and great explorer. Many of the places he discovered were named after him, and his detailed reports and observations became the basis for many expeditions.

In 1934, the house in which the boy James Cook lived in Great Outton, Yorkshire, was donated to the Australian government. It was carefully disassembled and transported to Melbourne, where it became a museum.

James Cook is one of the greatest explorers of the 18th century. A man who led three expeditions around the world, discovered many new lands and islands, an experienced navigator, explorer and cartographer - that’s who James Cook is. Read briefly about his travels in this article.

Childhood and youth

The future navigator was born on October 27, 1728 in the village of Marton (England). His father was a poor farmer. Over time, the family moved to the village of Great Ayton, where James Cook was educated at a local school. Since the family was poor, James's parents were forced to apprentice him to a shopkeeper who lived in the small seaside town of Staithes.

As an 18-year-old boy, James Cook, whose biography tells of him as a hardworking and purposeful man, left his job with a shopkeeper and became a cabin boy on a coal ship. Thus began his career as a sailor. The ship on which he went to sea for the first few years mainly sailed between London and England. He also managed to visit Ireland, Norway and the Baltic, and devoted almost all his free time to self-education, being interested in such sciences as mathematics, navigation , astronomy and geography. James Cook, who was offered a high position on one of the ships of the trading company, chose to enlist as an ordinary sailor in the British Navy. He subsequently took part in the Seven Years' War, and at its end established himself as an experienced cartographer and topographer.

First trip around the world

In 1766, the British Admiralty decided to send a scientific expedition to the Pacific Ocean, the purpose of which was various observations of cosmic bodies, as well as some calculations. In addition, it was necessary to study the coast of New Zealand, discovered by Tasman back in 1642. James Cook was appointed head of the voyage. His biography, however, contains more than one journey in which he played a leading role.

James Cook sailed from Plymouth in August 1768. The expedition ship crossed the Atlantic, circled South America and entered the Pacific Ocean. The astronomical task was completed on the island of Tahiti on June 3, 1769, after which Cook sent the ships in a southwesterly direction and four months later reached New Zealand, the coast of which he thoroughly explored before continuing the journey. Then he sailed towards Australia and, having discovered which at that time was not known to Europeans, circled it from the north and on October 11, 1970, sailed to Batavia. In Indonesia, the expedition was hit by an epidemic of malaria and dysentery, which killed a third of the team. From there Cook headed west, crossed the Indian Ocean, circled Africa and returned to his homeland on July 12, 1771.

Second trip around the world

In the autumn of the same year, the British Admiralty again started another voyage. This time his goal is to explore the still unexplored parts of the Southern Hemisphere and search for the supposed Southern Continent. This task was entrusted to James Cook.

Two ships of the expedition sailed from Plymouth on July 13, 1772 and on October 30 landed in Kapstadt (now Cape Town), located in southern Africa. After staying there for just under a month, Cook continued to sail south. In mid-December, travelers came across solid ice that blocked the ships' path, but Cook was not going to give up. He crossed the Antarctic Circle on January 17, 1773, but was soon forced to turn the ships north. Over the next few months, he visited several islands in Oceania and the Pacific, after which he made another attempt to make his way south. On January 30, 1774, the expedition managed to reach the southernmost point of its voyage. Then Cook again headed north and visited several islands. James Cook, whose biography is full of discoveries, came across new islands this time too. Having completed his research in this region, he sailed east and landed in Tierra del Fuego in December. The expedition returned to England on July 13, 1775.

Upon completion of this voyage, which made Cook very famous throughout Europe, he received a new promotion, and also became a member of the Royal Geographical Society, which also awarded him a gold medal.

Third trip around the world

The purpose of the next voyage was to search for a northwestern route from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. James Cook's journey began in Plymouth, from where on July 12, 1776, an expedition of two ships set out under his leadership. The sailors arrived in Kapstadt, and from there they went to the southeast and by the end of 1777 they visited Tasmania, New Zealand and other places. In mid-December of the following year, the expedition visited the Hawaiian Islands, after which it continued to travel north, where Cook sent ships along the coasts of Canada and Alaska, crossed and soon, finally getting stuck in solid ice, was forced to turn back to the south.

1746–1754 served on merchant ships, rising from cabin boy to assistant navigator, then on warships. In 1759–1764 was a pilot in Canadian waters. In 1764–1767, while commanding a ship, he surveyed the coasts of Newfoundland and the Yucatan Peninsula.

In 1768–1771 set off on his first circumnavigation of the world on the ship Endeavor, organized by the British Admiralty to seize new lands in the Pacific Ocean. Having rounded Cape Horn, Cook arrived on the island of Tahiti in the South Pacific Ocean, discovered and mapped the islands lying to the northwest of it, calling them the Society Islands. In 1769–1770 circumnavigated New Zealand, establishing its island position, explored the strait between its North and South Islands, discovered the eastern coast of Australia, which he named New South Wales, and the Great Barrier Reef. Then he went west to the island of Java and around Africa returned to England.

Cook's second voyage around the world (1772–1775), this time in an easterly direction, was organized with the aim of searching for the southern continent and a detailed survey of New Zealand and other islands in the Southern Hemisphere. On the ship Resolution, Cook in 1773 crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time in history and reached 71° 10′ S. w. Although Cook believed that there might be a continent or a large island near the South Pole, attempts to find it were unsuccessful. During this voyage, Cook discovered 2 atolls in the Tuamotu archipelago, Hervey Atoll and Palmerston Island in the Cook Islands group, the southern group of the New Hebrides Islands, the New Caledonia, Norfolk, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. The expedition collected valuable information about the flora and fauna of the islands of Oceania, Australia and the South Atlantic, and about sea currents.

In 1776, Cook led the third expedition around the world on the ships Resolution and Discovery to search for the northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and annex new lands in the North Pacific Ocean to Great Britain. In 1777, he discovered 3 more atolls in the Cook Islands chain, Ha'apai Islands in the Tonga group, Tubuai and Christmas Islands in the Line archipelago, and in 1778 - 5 Hawaiian Islands, incl. Oahu and Kauai, and the southeastern Hawaiian islands of Maui and Hawaii. In the same year, Cook explored and mapped the northwestern coast of America from 54° to 70° 20′ N. w. In 1779 he was killed in a skirmish with the Hawaiians.

More than 20 geographical objects are named after Cook, including a mountain on South Island in New Zealand, a strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand, 2 groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean, and a bay off the coast of Alaska.

Marine encyclopedic reference book, ed. N.N. Isanina. L.: 1987

(1728-1779) English navigator and explorer

Captain James Cook, a famous English navigator and traveler, traveled the entire Pacific Ocean, visited Australia, New Zealand and many southern islands, which later became English colonies. If we try to briefly outline the routes of his travels, it turns out that he practically never left the ship.

James Cook was born in Yorkshire into the family of a day laborer, began serving as a cabin boy on merchant ships at the age of 18, switched to military service in 1755 and by the age of thirty was already considered an outstanding navigator.

After that, he made three famous expeditions: in 1768-1771 - to Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia, in 1772-1775 - to the South Pacific Ocean and in 1776-1779 - to the South and North Pacific Ocean, trying finding the Northern Strait and marking the Siberian tip of Asia for the first time on the map.

In 1768, James Cook set off on his first trip around the world.

He was supposed to deliver a scientific expedition to the island of Tahiti to observe how Venus passes across the solar disk. For this purpose, he was provided with the ship Endeavor with a crew of 80 people; in addition, there were three scientists on board.

Cook successfully delivered the scientists to Tahiti and, after they made the necessary observations there, headed northwest.

After a long journey, he discovered an archipelago consisting of two large islands. This was New Zealand. James Cook explored it and went further to Australia. In 1770, he discovered the Great Barrier Reef, landed in Botany Bay, explored the east coast of Australia and claimed it as British property under the name New South Wales. During this expedition, significant scientific materials were collected. This was done by James Cook's companions - botanist Joseph Banks and zoologist Sydney Parkinson.

Then the navigator passed through the Torres Strait to the island of Java and, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, returned to England, circumnavigating the world in a western direction.

During his second voyage (1772-1775), James Cook set out in search of the "Southland" and for a more detailed survey of New Zealand and other islands of the Southern Hemisphere.

Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle, but because of the ice he had to return. After numerous attempts to break through the ice, the navigator came to the conclusion that the vast Southern Land did not exist. However, he mapped a number of unknown islands in the South Pacific: the southern group of the New Hebrides, about. New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, South Sandwich Islands.

James Cook's third and final voyage began in 1776.

He sailed from England on two ships - the Resolution and the Discovery. The purpose of the expedition was to try to find a route around North America - the so-called Northwest Passage. And again Cook went out into the Pacific Ocean.

In early 1778, he discovered the Hawaiian Islands.

From here the navigator went north, to the east coast of America. He managed to reach the Bering Gulf, located near Alaska, and there he was forced to retreat under ice pressure.

Shortly after James Cook returned to the Hawaiian Islands, he was killed during a confrontation with locals over a stolen boat.

The British people honor their hero as a skilled navigator and great explorer. Many of the places he discovered were named after him, and his detailed reports and observations became the basis for many expeditions.

In 1934, the house in which the boy James Cook lived in Great Outton, Yorkshire, was donated to the Australian government.

It was carefully disassembled and transported to Melbourne, where it became a museum.

A short biography of James Cook for children, the most important thing

In 1728, the future navigator was born. His family lived very modestly in the village. After graduating from local school, he worked on a farm under the direction of his father, and soon found a job as a worker on a coal truck. Thus began his new life.

He made a brilliant career and all thanks to the fact that he was diligently engaged in self-education. He joined a merchant ship as a cabin boy, and after a while he was already the captain's mate.

In 1755 he enlisted as a sailor in the Royal Navy. A month later he was already a boatswain and took part in the Seven Years' War. And in his relatively young years, he has already reached unprecedented heights.

In 1768, James set out on his first astronomical observation voyage. He and his crew landed off the coast of Tahiti. Cook was friendly and encouraged his team to be so.

Any conflicts or aggression were severely punished. They had to break stereotypes among local residents, since before that everything was done through robbery or brutal violence.

In 1772, James set off on his second voyage.

This time he was studying the Pacific Ocean region near New Zealand. This time, too, there were adventures: the ship's crew suffered from scurvy, and they witnessed a terrible spectacle - cannibalism. As a result of this expedition, many islands and archipelagos were discovered.

Since 1776, James Cook has been going on his third journey. In 1778, the islands of Haiti and Christmas Island were discovered. It is interesting that the Haitians perceived Cook and his ships as gods, and therefore contact was established immediately.

But soon everything turned sour due to cases of theft by local residents. The conflict grew, despite Cook's great friendliness. In 1779 there was a skirmish with local residents, which resulted in Cook's death.

For children by dates

Biography of James Cook about the main thing

James Cook - who has not heard the name of this great English navigator, who at the cost of his life completed three trips around the world.

James Cook was born the ninth child into a family of farm servants back in 1728.

Living in poverty spurred the very young James to look for work. At the age of 13, a haberdasher takes him as an apprentice to tanning leather.

From a young age, Cook dreamed of sailing on big ships, discovering and exploring distant lands. Starting at the age of 18, he persistently paved his way through thorns to the stars.

Initially, he enters as a cabin boy on a ship to transport coal. During this period, he actively engaged in self-education, since he did not have money for college or tutors. He reads willingly, studies geography, drawing, history, and mathematics. He buys a lot of books and spends his entire salary on this hobby.

In 1755, war with France begins. Cook ends up as a sailor on a warship. Here he proves himself to be a good cartographer.

The knowledge and skills he acquired helped him navigate the terrain and draw up good navigational and strategic maps of the rivers of Canada and Labrador.

These cards were actively used in military affairs for attack.
In 1768, James Cook received the rank of officer and became the leader of the first round-the-world expedition in his life to the Southern Hemisphere. This expedition will last more than three years. The expedition rounded Cape Horn and reached Tahiti. On the island of Tahiti, Cook and a team of scientists were supposed to explore the dome of the starry sky of the Southern Hemisphere, but, unfortunately, the local natives stole most of the equipment.

As a result, it was not possible to conduct a proper study, and the ship headed further south. Along the way they passed by New Zealand and reached Australia. It was this fact that then allowed England to claim its rights to the green continent.

In addition, on this expedition, Cook revealed to the world the wonder of the world - the Great Barrier Reef, which we now hear about so often.

The second expedition in 1772 was shorter, but no less productive.

Cook's ship went south and was unable to pass through the ice. The team conducted a study of the ice boundaries. Along the way, the archipelago of Tonga and New Caledonia was discovered.

Cook's last voyage took place in 1776. The purpose of the journey was to open a passage connecting the two oceans in the north. The ship reached the 71st parallel and could not advance further because of the ice. Cook ordered a course for Hawaii. By the way, Hawaii was also discovered by James Cook a few years earlier.

Arriving in Hawaii, the team went ashore. But unfriendly, aggressive locals were waiting for them on the shore. A multi-day bloody brawl began and on February 14, 1779, the natives of Hawaii killed James Cook, and his ships Resolution and Discovery returned to England.

James Cook left behind a huge legacy.

What James Cook discovered

More than 20 large geographical objects are named after him. It's sad, but James Cook left no heirs. The fact is that he was married and had 6 children. Unfortunately, all the children died at an early age. This is not an easy fate for a great man.

For children by dates

Interesting facts and dates from life

Main article: Exploration of the World Ocean

In the 18th century, Great Britain (England) became the “mistress of the seas,” whose anthem contains the words: “Rule, Britain, the seas.” In 1768, an expedition was sent to the Pacific Ocean in search of new lands. James Cook.

An intelligent and brave sailor, he went from a cabin boy to a ship captain. Cook circumnavigated the world twice and died during the third in 1779.

Cook completed the discovery of the coast of New Zealand, proving that it was not a mainland, but two large islands. He was the first to map the east coast of Australia. The navigators were convinced that Australia (translated as “southern land”) is a continent in size.

Cook discovered many islands in the Atlantic, Indian and especially in the Pacific Ocean. The islands of Oceania are very diverse. Among them there are small coral islands - atolls, rising only 2-3 meters above sea level.

There are small and large, up to several thousand meters high, volcanic islands. There are large islands, such as New Guinea and New Zealand, whose nature is similar to that of the mainland. Several islands lying close to each other form an archipelago.

The inhabitants of small islands - Polynesians - were excellent sailors and fishermen. Most of them warmly greeted Cook and his companions. The inhabitants of New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands were warlike and often fought among themselves.

In a skirmish with local residents - the natives of the Hawaiian Islands - James Cook was killed.

First circumnavigation of the world (1768-1771)

Off the eastern coast of Australia, Cook discovered one of the wonders of the world - the Great Barrier Reef - a ridge of coral underwater and surface hills about 2000 km long.

Corals are the limestone skeletons of the smallest marine animals of the warm seas. There can be so many of them that together they form underwater platforms and islands, making navigation difficult. The underwater inhabitants of coral reefs - fish, starfish, and crabs - are very interesting and beautiful.

Birds of paradise live in New Guinea, so named for the beauty of their plumage. Many New Zealand birds cannot fly - there are no predators on the island, and they calmly search for food on the ground all day long.

Second circumnavigation of the world (1772-1775)

Cook believed that a vast land may lie near the South Pole, and in search of the Southern Continent he sailed far south, beyond the Antarctic Circle.

His path was blocked by thick fogs, ice and icebergs. Cook turned back, believing that no one could penetrate further south than he. Material from the site http://wikiwhat.ru

Third circumnavigation of the world (1776-1779)

In the North Pacific Ocean, Cook was searching for routes to the Atlantic. He sailed along the coast of North America, described them, rounded the Alaska Peninsula in the north-west of the continent and, passing the Bering Strait, entered the Arctic Ocean.

The Hawaiian Islands, discovered by Cook in the Pacific Ocean, are a large volcanic archipelago. The peaks of the volcanoes exceed 4000 m.

What did James Cook discover? Travels of the legendary navigator

Eruptions occur frequently. Lava, like a river of fire, flows into the ocean. Coconut palms grow on the banks. Their large nuts with strong shells fall into the ocean and are carried by currents.

Thrown onto the shore, they sprout on a new island. There is a lot of liquid inside the nut - coconut milk. On atolls where there are no streams or rivers, this milk often replaced water for residents. There are many different birds on the islands and no or almost no animals.

On this page there is material on the following topics:

  • Wikiwhat.ru

  • James cook 1768-1779 what he discovered

  • The main contribution of the discovery of James Cook's land

  • What continent was James Cook close to discovering?

  • James Cook's contribution to the study of the Pacific Ocean

Questions for this article:

  • In which hemisphere is Australia located?

  • What is an archipelago?

  • What is Oceania?

  • Tell us about the nature of the Pacific Islands.

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British navigator James Cook: biography of a young man who became captain

Cook James(1728-1779) - English navigator.

He was born into a family of daily workers and received a modest school education. Cook worked as a grocery store assistant and then as a sailor. In 1757 he volunteered to serve in the navy. Cook's unusual abilities allowed him to earn the title of navigator within two years.

She has long worked as a geodetector in challenging environments in North America, where she conducts surveys and coastal surveys. Consequently, dozens of geographical maps were created, which were the result of five years of research.

On his first expedition to the widespread southern sea, Cook left his command at the age of 40.

Its goal is to astronomically observe the transit of Venus through a solar panel. This occurred in early June 1769 and was only visible in the southern tropics. Thus, the official part of the expedition was developed. However, another important thing is to determine whether this is truly the land of a southern state (Antarctica), and if so, then it should become the owner of the British crown. But as a result of his first trip, Cook cannot be sure of the existence of the continent.

Nevertheless, the expedition discovered and explored many islands, explored the east coast of Australia and declared it a colony of England.

The question arises about organizing a new expedition. Exactly a year after his return, Cook sets off on a second expedition, and only three years later he will see the coast of England again.

During this journey, the expedition crossed the Antarctic Circle for the first time in the world and separated them from Antarctica by only one hundred kilometers.

However, it was impossible to move on. Now Cook could say with complete confidence: there is no unknown southern country. He writes: "I passed through the southern ocean in high latitudes and crossed it so that there was no place for continuation except near drugs in places inaccessible to navigation."

But in reality there was an unknown southern country and incorrect conclusions. Hook greatly hindered further exploration of the Antarctic spaces.

During the second expedition, Cook prepared several new islands and visited the mysterious Easter Island.

In July 1776, Cook set out on his third and final voyage, from which he never returned. The goal of this expedition is to find the transition from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean in northern latitudes.

This has been happening for a long time. On the eastern coast of the Bering Strait, ships reach Alaska. But the search for a passage is in vain: impassable ice blocks the path. For almost three months Cook went to a subpolar latitude; During this period he manages to explain the card. In 1778, the ships returned, and in January 1779 they reached the Hawaiian Islands.

Their discovery was the most important achievement of the third expedition.

The islanders, who were outraged by the behavior of the sailors and police, were killed by J. Cuca.

Contradictory information about how he died. On February 22, 1779, the weary remains of James Cook were released to sea. It was a tragic end to the life of one of the greatest navigators in human history.

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Biography and discoveries of James Cook
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