se7enW
Back to Whose
👤 whose

Whose Voyages Mapped the Pacific?

ExplorationHistory

Quick Answer

Captain James Cook three Pacific voyages (1768-1779) produced the most comprehensive maps of the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Full Story

British navigator Captain James Cook (1728-1779) undertook three voyages of discovery that mapped more of the world than any previous explorer. His first voyage (1768-71) observed the transit of Venus from Tahiti and charted the coast of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. The second voyage (1772-75) circumnavigated the globe at high southern latitudes, proving no large southern continent (Terra Australis) existed in temperate zones and crossing the Antarctic Circle for the first time. The third voyage (1776-79) explored the Pacific Northwest of North America searching for a Northwest Passage. Cook was killed in a confrontation with Hawaiians on 14 February 1779. His charts were so accurate they were used for over a century.

Key Facts

1.Cook prevented scurvy on his ships by insisting on fresh food and citrus, losing almost no crew to the disease.
2.He was the first European to make contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands.
3.Cook maps of Newfoundland, New Zealand, and the Pacific remained in use by navigators into the 20th century.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Captain Cook — The Voyages That Mapped the Pacific"