Table of Contents
What were the main motives of Pacific exploration and Colonisation?
Much of the European exploration of the Pacific was inspired by two obsessions: the search for the fastest routes to the spice-rich islands of the Moluccas (modern-day Maluku in Indonesia) and the theory that somewhere in the South Pacific lay a vast undiscovered southern continent, possibly also rich in gold, spices.
What did James Cook discover?
Who Was James Cook? James Cook was a naval captain, navigator and explorer who, in 1770, charted New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia on his ship HMB Endeavour. He later disproved the existence of Terra Australis, a fabled southern continent.
How long did Captain Cook stay in Australia?
Captain Cook arrived on the shores of Botany Bay in modern day Sydney 250 years ago. He and his crew stayed on land for eight days. The official histories have long been accused of glossing over the realities of his first encounters with local people.
What age was Captain Cook when he died?
50 years (1728–1779)
James Cook/Age at death
Was Captain Cook a good man?
Ultimately, he was a man doing a job, which, for the most part, he did exceptionally well. This summer, while children across Britain and the Antipodes hear, once again, about his valour and heroism, some Hawaiians may yet remember the ‘devil’ of Western imperialism, and all that followed.
What was Australia first called?
New Holland
New Holland (Dutch: Nieuw-Holland) is a historical European name for mainland Australia. The name was first applied to Australia in 1644 by the Dutch seafarer Abel Tasman.
Why was Australia declared terra nullius?
Possession of Australia was declared on the basis of unilateral possession. The land was defined as terra nullius, or wasteland, because Cook and Banks considered there were few ‘natives’ along the coast. They apparently deduced that there would be fewer or none inland.
How did James Cook change the world?
At his death, Cook had charted thousands of miles of coastline around the world and solved several mysteries of the South Pacific. He did all that and along the way lost only a few men to scurvy, a rampant problem at the time, by encouraging his sailors to eat their fruits and veggies.
What happened to the Endeavour?
Endeavour then sailed north along the Australian coast. She narrowly avoided disaster after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef, and Cook had to throw her guns overboard to lighten her….HMS Endeavour.
| History | |
|---|---|
| Great Britain | |
| Homeport | Plymouth, United Kingdom |
| Fate | Scuttled, Newport, Rhode Island, 1778 |
| General characteristics |