James Cook's Life

James Cook was born on November 7, 1728 in Marton, Yorkshire, England. He was an explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy. Cook's first voyage was when he traveled the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the transit of Venus across the Sun from 1768 to 1771. James' second voyage was from 1772 to 1775. He was also promoted to the rank of commander. The Royal Society commissioned for him to search for the hypothetical Terra Australis. On his last voyage, Cook commanded HMS Resolution for the second time, while Charles Clerke commanded the HMS Discovery. His voyage was from 1776 to 1779. In 1778, Cook was the first European to visit the Hawaiian Islands. Cook was struck on the head by a chief named Kalaimanokaho'owaha or Kana'ina. He died of the wounds on February 14, 1779. He was fifty years old.