What areas were claimed by James Cook?

Answer 1

James Cook was an English sea captain. Contrary to popular opinion, he did NOT discover Australia, nor New Zealand, but he was famous for several reasons: On his first journey, departing in 1768, he commanded the 'Endeavour' on an expedition to chart the transit of Venus. Cook went on to search for Terra Australis Incognita, the great continent which some believed to extend round the pole. He first came across New Zealand, which had already been discovered by Abel Tasman in 1642. He spent some months there, charting the coastline. Nearly a year later, he set sail east, becoming the first known European to sight the Eastern coast of Australia, in April 1770. He continued north, charting the coast in some detail, before returning a favourable report to England. It was this report which convinced the authorities to colonise the Australian continent with convicts. On Cook's second journey which lasted from 1772-1775, he commanded the 'Resolution' and the 'Adventure' on an expedition to the South Pacific, disproving the rumour of a great southern continent, exploring the Antarctic Ocean, New Hebrides and New Caledonia. On his third journey, commencing in 1776, Cook visited and named the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii, and unsuccessfully sought a northwest passage along the coast of North America. On his way back to England, he stopped at Hawaii again. After a boat was stolen by natives, he and his crew had an altercation with the Hawaiians. On 14 February 1779, Cook was speared by Hawaiian natives.

Answer 2

James Cook explored and mapped the following areas:

• the entire coastline of the North and South islands of New Zealand
• the eastern coastline of Australia
• the Hawaiian islands
• the west coast of North America, from California to the Bering Strait

Answer 3

The Pacific Ocean, the western seaboard of North America, and Australia.

Answer 4

James Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia under the name of "New South Wales". He also claimed New Zealand.