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On 6 October 1769, Nicholas Young, the surgeon's boy, sighted the coastline of New Zealand from the masthead of The Endeavour. On 8 October 1769 the Endeavour sailed into a bay, and laid anchor at the entrance of a small river in Tuuranga-nui (today's Poverty Bay, near modern Gisborne). Cook named a peninsula in this bay "Young Nick's Head" after Nicholas Young.

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13y ago
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13y ago

New Zealand was discovered by Abel Tasman, and re-discoverd by James Cook.

['discover = un cover' = make known.]

In Cook's day, navigation was mainly by the Stars and Sun sights, and in poor weather, a ship could easily become lost. Indeed, a major convoy of warships was destroyed on the English Coast.

The Admiralty in UK addressed this 'Longitude Problem' as it was known, and offered a reward for the manufacture of a reliable chronometer.

About the same time, it was decided to measure the transit (across the Sun's disk) of the planets Mercury and Venus, and from these measurements a good estimate could be made of the size of the Earth. [Mercury was tracked from near Auckland NZ, and Venus from onshore Fiji. Hence the names of those localities in those Nations. ]

In addition he was to keep an eye out for the 'Great Southern Continent' thought by some as needed to 'balance' the northern continents!

It was in the course of these adventures that he came to thoroughly map New Zealand.

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13y ago

The Maori first discovered New Zealand. The first European was Abel Tasman. but he thought it was joined to S America.

James Cook better deserves the discoverer title, for discover means "un cover" - to make available, or known widely.

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No. New Zealand was discovered by European explorer Abel Tasman some time after the Maori people had already settled there.

James Cook circumnavigated the islands of New Zealand 127 years after Tasman came across them.

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In October 1769, James Cook anchored The Endeavour in Poverty Bay, which he originally named "Endeavour Bay". Cook and two botanists, Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, went ashore at the future site of Gisborne.

Cook also raised the British flag at Mercury Bay, on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula.

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Q: Did James Cook discover New Zealand?
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Related questions

What is the name of the ship that captain cook sailed when he discovered New Zealand?

HMS Endeavour. (Note: James Cook did not discover New Zealand.)


What city did James cook discover in New Zealand first?

When James Cook first arrived in New Zealand, there were no cities. The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, who were the first people there, did not build cities.


What did captain cook discover other than NZ?

James Cook did not discover New Zealand, just as he did not discover Australia. New Zealand was discovered by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642. Cook circumnavigated New Zealand in 1769. Cook's only discovery of previously unknown lands was Hawaii, which he named the Sandwich Islands.


What Country did James Cook discover first?

James Cook did not discover any countries. He first arrived in New Zealand, but Abel Tasman had discovered the islands in 1642.


Was james cook the first person to visit new Zealand?

Yes; James Cook is believed to be the first European to actually land on New Zealand soil. He was not, however, the first European to discover New Zealand - that was achieved by Abel Tasman in 1642.


Why did Captain James Cook discover?

Captain James Cook went to New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific Islands and Hawaii just for his interest


How old was James cook when he discovered New Zealand?

Captain Cook did not discover New Zealand. He circumnavigated New Zealand in 1769-1770. New Zealand was discovered by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642.James Cook's expedition was the second European expedition to reach New Zealand, doing so in August 1769. Cook managed to circumnavigate and chart New Zealand, before going on to chart the eastern coast of Australia.


What was the name of Captain Cook's ship when he discovered New Zealand?

Captain James Cook's ship was called the 'Endeavour' when he first landed in New Zealand


What year did James Cook discover New Guinea?

James Cook did not discover New Guinea.


Why did caption cook come settle in new zealand?

Captain Cook did not settle in New Zealand. He made three voyages to the Pacific and visited New Zealand on four separate occasions. He led the first British expedition to discover New Zealand and the first to set foot on new Zealand. Abel Tasman was the first European to sight New Zealand but did not land there. Captain James Cook was the first to circumnavigate and map New Zealand.


What did Cook discover about New Zealand?

James Cook was the first known European explorer to circumnavigate New Zealand. This proved that it was made up of two main islands and numerous smaller islands, and was not connected to any other continent.


That captain cook should have turned back and not have discovered New Zealand?

# Captain Cook didn't discover New Zealand. # Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand. # Captain Cook just mapped and explored it.