Born 7 November [O.S.27 October] 1728 Marton, Yorkshire, EnglandDied 14 February 1779(aged 50) Cause of death Stab wound Nationality British Education Postgate School,Great Ayton Occupation Explorer, navigator, cartographer Spouse(s) Children 6 Military career Branch Royal Navy Service years 1755–1779 Rank Captain Battles/wars Signature James CookFRS(7 November 1728[NB 1] – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer,navigator,cartographer, andcaptainin the BritishRoyal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in thePacific Oceanand toAustraliain particular. He made detailed maps ofNewfoundlandprior to making three voyages to the Pacific, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and theHawaiian Islands, and the first recorded circumnavigation ofNew Zealand.
Cook joined the British merchant navy as a teenager and joined the Royal Navy in 1755. He saw action in theSeven Years' Warand subsequently surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to theSaint Lawrence Riverduring thesiege of Quebec, which brought him to the attention of theAdmiraltyand theRoyal Society. This acclaim came at a crucial moment in his career and the direction of British overseas exploration, and led to his commission in 1766 as commander ofHMSEndeavourfor the first of three Pacific voyages.
In these voyages, Cook sailed thousands of miles across largely uncharted areas of the globe. He mapped lands from New Zealand to Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean in greater detail and on a scale not previously charted by Western explorers. He surveyed and named features, and recorded islands and coastlines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions.
