What was James Cook's reason for his voyage?

Answer 1

Captain's Cook's original mission was to observe the transit of Venus from the vantage point of Tahiti. He was then under orders to try to find the great unknown southern continent, and claim it for Britain. In so doing, he charted the eastern coastline, making extensive notes on the people, flora, fauna and prospective suitability for colonisation, and reported back to England.

Answer 2

Captain James Cook proved himself an able explorer, following his epic voyage in which he explored New Zealand, charted the Australian eastern coast, and circumnavigated the world. Because of his success, he was sent out on a second expedition.

Two years after this journey, in 1772, Cook was sent out again, this time to discover if another great land lay east of Australia. He set sail from Britain, via Madiera and South Africa, towards the Antarctic, to search for the Great Southern Continent, not realising that the unknown continent was, in fact, New South Wales/New Holland.

Answer 3

James Cook was chosen to explore. With his experience and skills, he was an ideal candidate for the scientific and exploration missions upon which he set out. His explorations were simply him following orders.

Cook's original mission was to observe the transit of Venus from the vantage point of Tahiti.

Cook was then under secret orders to try to find the great unknown southern continent, and claim it for Britain. In so doing, he charted the eastern coastline of what he called "New South Wales" (now Australia), making extensive notes on the people, flora, fauna and prospective suitability for colonisation, and reported back to England.

It is significant that, contrary to popular belief, James Cook did not discover Australia. The continent he explored had been discovered over 150 years before, by the Dutch and possibly even the Portuguese before then.

Answer 4

On James 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.

Answer 5

On his third journey, commencing in 1776, Captain James Cook visited and named the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. His purpose was to try and find a northwest passage along the coast of North America, but his journey was unsuccessful.

Answer 6

James Cook was chosen to explore. With his experience and skills, he was an ideal candidate for the scientific and exploration missions upon which he set out. His explorations were simply him following orders.

Cook's original mission was to observe the transit of Venus from the vantage point of Tahiti.

Cook was then under secret orders to try to find the great unknown southern continent, and claim it for Britain. In so doing, he charted the eastern coastline of what he called "New South Wales" (now Australia), making extensive notes on the people, flora, fauna and prospective suitability for colonisation, and reported back to England.

It is significant that, contrary to popular belief, James Cook did not discover Australia. The continent he explored had been discovered over 150 years before, by the Dutch and possibly even the Portuguese before then.

Answer 7

James Cook's original mission was to observe the transit of Venus from the vantage point of Tahiti.

Cook was then under secret orders to try to find the great unknown southern continent, and claim it for Britain. In so doing, he charted the eastern coastline of what he called "New South Wales" (now Australia), making extensive notes on the people, flora, fauna and prospective suitability for colonisation, and reported back to England.

It is significant that, contrary to popular belief, James Cook did not discover Australia. The continent he explored had been discovered over 150 years before, by the Dutch and possibly even the Portuguese before then.

It was upon the success of this first mission which then caused Cook to be selected for later, specific missions.