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Biography : James Cook
James Cook was born on 27 October 1728 in Marton, England. His father was a poor farm labourer who had worked his way up to Overseer. James began as a farm labourer and grocer's assistant. He soon found employment on the Baltic sea in a Collier (coal transport ship) at the age of 18.
During the war with the French in 1755, James Cook enlisted as an Able Seaman on the Eagle. Within a month he was promoted, because of outstanding ability, to Master's Mate. Four years later he was promoted to Master. In command of his own ship, James Cook performed a crucial charting of the St. Lawrence River, which made possible the great amphibious assault upon Quebec City in 1759. In 1763 he was given command of the schooner Grenville to survey the eastern coasts of Canada over a four year period. These excellent charts were used up until the early part of the 20th century.
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Further Accomplishments
Just after making officer rank, Lieutenant Cook was chosen by the Royal Society of London to undertake a scientific journey to Tahiti to observe and document the planet Venus as it passed between the earth and the sun.These observations would help scientists calculate the distance of the earth from the sun.
On August 25, [1768], Cook departed England aboard the Endeavor with 94 crewmen and scientists. He was carrying secret orders from the Royal Navy to be opened upon completion of his scientific mission.
| During his historic voyage in HMS Endeavour, Cook raised the British flag in New Zealand in 1769.In 1770, he became the first European to visit the eastern coast of Australia. He claimed possession of the land for Great Britain, naming it New South Wales. As a result of his voyage, Australia became a British colony in 1788.
Continue................His Voyages
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