What were Captain James Cook's reasons for exploration?

Answer 1

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.

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

Answer 2

Cook explored partly because he was commissioned to do so: he was an adventurer who came across other countries and islands whilst in search of the Great Southern Continent. He was commissioned to report to England on whatever lands he found, and to make extensive notes and charts.