He didn't. James Cook did not find the great southern continent that was believed to exist. He found the east coast of Australia, a continent that was purported to have been discovered by the Portuguese in the 1500s and officially recorded by the Dutch in the 1600s, but this was not the same as the "great southern land", as such a landmass never existed.
He didn't.James Cook did not find the great southern continent that was believed to exist. He found the east coast of Australia, a continent that was purported to have been discovered by the Portuguese in the 1500s, and officially recorded by the Dutch in the 1600s, but this was not the same as the "great southern land" that never actually existed.
James Cook was on a secret mission to find the Great Southern Land which was believed to exist south of the equator. Australia was already known, but it was believed that another great land must exist in the southern hemisphere. As it was, Cook only clarified the position and size of Australia. He did not discover Australia - that had already been discovered by the Portuguese and Dutch sailors - but he did chart Australia's eastern coast.
After observing the transit of Venus, James Cook had orders to head south and west and secretly search for the unknown Great Southern Continent, or Terra Australis Incognitabefore other countries, especially France, reached it first. There was still a belief that New Holland discovered by the Portuguese and Dutch was not the great southern continent, and that another, greater continent lay in the southern hemisphere. Cook's orders were to find out as much as he could about this land.One of the reasons was basically for exploitation. Britain wanted to expand its empire, and to use any resources it might find to help develop a trade base in the south Pacific.
It is in the Southern lands as in your question, The Great Southern Land.
The secret orders James Cook opened after completing his observations of the transit of Venus were to sail south and west from Tahiti until he reached Terra Australis Incognita -"The Unknown Southern Land" - and to map it, record observations of it and, if he felt it was worthwhile, to claim the land, as long as it was unoccupied before other countries, especially France, reached it first. There was still a belief that New Holland discovered by the Portuguese and Dutch was not the great southern continent, and that another, greater continent lay in the southern hemisphere. Cook's orders were to find out as much as he could about this land.
James Cook was not searching specifically for Australia. He was sent to explore whether there really was a great southern continent. He found the east coast of New Holland, previously discovered by the Dutch, but what he was really looking for was "Terra Australis Incognita", the unknown Southern Land, which was believed to be a great Southern landmass.
Yes and no. Cook was instructed to search for the great southern continent. He found the east coast of Australia, although the western half of the continent had already been found, but the continent was not the huge land mass he was expecting to find.
because he got some drugs and can't control hims self and gets excited about everything.
Icehouse
The Royal Geographic Society sponsored and financed Cook's first expedition to observe the transit of Venus in 1769. However, Cook's secret mission to continue on until he reached the "great Southern Land", and to make observations about the continent was financed by the British Admiralty.
The first voyage of Captain James Cook on the HMS Endeavor was a south Pacific Ocean expedition to observe the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun. A dual purpose was to find evidence of an unknown southern land.
No such name. If you were looking for Captain James Cook, well, he never went to Antarctica He was on his voyage to find the mythical 'Terra Austrialis'. A 'great southern continent' that nearly entirely covered any land from 40 to 90 degrees south. He did travel close to Antarctica on hid third and final voyage, but never actually 'got there'.