James Cook Research Paper

James Cook was a high ranking officer that played a major part in exploration which founded the Hawaiian islands and was one of the best explorers in the world. He went on many great expeditions to the Pacific ocean, Antarctic, New Zealand, Bering Strait, Australia, North America, and a few parts of Canada. Born on October 27, 1728 during the Colonial period and Age of Enlightenment(DISCovering Biography). At a young age James Cook did not do much of exploring. His father was a farmer and a small town. It was not until he was 21 years old that he started sailing. He started off as an apprentice to a ship owner that got him interested, but before he worked in a small general store. With little work experience and small education that was paid
for by his father's employer. Most of his work and studying was at night or in the harshest of weather conditions. Cook spent eight years at sea until promoted to mate and became a commander of a bark multiple years later. For most men this would have been a huge accomplishment to become in command at such a young age but it was not enough for Cook. Lots of workers and employers offered positions for him to command ships and make good money. He did not wanna be limited and wanted to make an even bigger name for himself. He soon volunteered for the Royal British Navy. With lots of experience already and a good head on his shoulders with authority on his side he was destined for fast success. He was a nicely groomed person with a tall and broad stature the higher ranking officers jumped at him for training and opportunity. After multiple years of training and promotions such like master's mate and boatswain he was finally made master of HMS pembroke at the age of 29(Britannica School). In 1756 the seven years war began. He was given command of a captured ship and spent most of his time in the Bay of Biscay(Britannica School). He was a part of plenty successful assaults and sieges. Cook helped lead the siege Louisburg in Nova Scotia(Britannica School). During all of his travels during the war he would mark out and map the surrounding areas and landscape making maps. His mapping and charting skills are what made General Wolfe’s landing at the St. Lawrence river successful (Britannica School). After realizing how good his mapping skills were from 1763 to 1768 the British navy put him in command of a schooner named Grenville and sent him to map out the areas and islands around England(Britannica School). Knowing that Cook was an intelligent man with lots of mapping experience the British Royal Society wanted him to explore the world and map out as much as possible. They wanted to use the maps and information against the French in hoping to beat them in science. A big ordeal at the time was to figure the distance from planets to the Sun. So the Queen herself requested him to an expedition to Tahiti. Cook spent three months at Tahiti(DISCovering Biography). The first prolonged contact with the Tahitian people to be recorded(DISCovering Biography). He then took multiple astronomers with him and scientists. The goal was to calculate the transit from Venus across the Sun (Britannica School). While helping to figure out astronomy in order to beat the French in science he was also mapping out the island. After that he was sent to find the southernmost continent also known as Terra Australis. So he left tahiti and went south unlike his predecessors which went west. Cook soon founded New Zealand and charted is all which took roughly about six months. The first contact with the Maoris people did not go as planned(DISCovering Biography). Cook then traveled to the northern side of the island charting it out and the relations between him and the Maoris began to increasingly get better(DISCovering Biography). After the long charting of New Zealand he headed south instead of home bound. Then on April 19, 1770, he landed on the southeast coast of Australia(DISCovering Biography). Cook planned on re-discovering the tasmanian island but missed his mark (DISCovering Biography). He traveled all 2,000 miles down the coast charting it out. He mapped out the most dangerous areas in that part of the world that could have been thought of. One for example is the Queensland Great Barrier Reef(Britannica School). It took him weeks to travel the reef as it scraped the bottom of his ship and gripped on to it. He moved in by inch hoping he would not destroy the ship so he and his crew could make it home. He slowly ran out of food while going through the reef. After finally escaping the reef that destroyed the majority of his ship he landed on the coast of Queensland to repair his ship knowing he was not going to be able to make it home. Taking many days to repair the ship held together and he sailed it back to England. Cook went on many expeditions afterwards. He was brought to King George III and was promoted to commander due to his success(Britannica School). Cook set off for another expedition after being at home but this time he took more than one ship. He went out to search for the southernmost point in the world at the time. He set the record for going the farthest south and was approximately 1,250 miles away from the south pole (UXL Biographies). Instead of heading home he decided to go north and search for more islands and got separated from the other ship (UXL Biographies). So cook put a message in a bottle hoping someone would find it. During the next six months Cook and his men visited Easter Island, the Marquesas, Tahiti again, and Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu(UXL Biographies). Cook charted the islands of the Vanuatu Archipelago and the island of New Caledonia, which he was the first European to visit (UXL Biographies). Returning to Queen Charlotte Sound, he found his message had been removed but he could not learn from the local islanders what had happened to the Adventure. As it turned out, the ship had returned to England. A month later Cook set off on a final attempt to find land between New Zealand and Cape Horn. After making his way around the Horn he finally got back to England. He was received as a hero from the locals. He spent a while at home with his wife and family. He got tired of the boring life and set out on another expedition. He left to find the Northwest Passage, but instead he founded the Hawaiian Islands and called them the Sandwich Islands (UXL Biographies). He kept going and went to Alaska to search for any passageway that connects it to America. Cook then realized there was no way around the Americas or Siberia (UXL Biographies). He set sail for Hawaii and stayed there for the winter. Some of the tools were stolen off the ship. That next day Cook walked up to the villages with one of the chiefs saying he was going to hold him hostage until the tools were found. The tribesmen started to stone Cook and stabbing him. He died on February 14, 1779 by the hand of the locals. Cook played a major role in exploration.
If it was not for him we would not have found the Hawaiian islands until much later. Possibly if it was not for Cook we might be a part of a different country, and territories would not be the same as today. If it was not for Cook General Wolfe would have never landed at St. Lawrence river which could have changed the outcome of the Seven Year War. James Cook discovered lots of scientific finds. Including food and medicines of different culture that helped shape the world today. He charted and mapped out larger portions of the world that was never thought of even existing making him one of the most daring and adventurous explorers in history. When every said it was not possible or did not even exist he set out to prove others wrong. He has Discovered even more than Christopher Columbus. History Books and scientific studies were made because of these discoveries. He became an explorer and adventure because he wanted to be known. He wanted to make a difference in the world, and he sure did make a difference by impacting wars and even cultures of all sorts. His discoveries still make a difference today. He made traveling easier and more knowledge available to people. Cook played one of the biggest roles in exploration and mapping in all of
history.