James Cook

James Cook was born to James and Grace Cook in Marton, Yorkshire, England. He was the second of eight children in a farming family.

Cook begins his education at a local school in Great Ayton, where he shows an early aptitude for mathematics and navigation.

Cook starts his maritime career as an apprentice to John Walker, a shopkeeper and shipowner in the fishing village of Staithes.

Cook enlists in the Royal Navy as an able seaman, a decision that marks the beginning of his professional naval career and sets the stage for his future expeditions.

Cook is assigned to map the treacherous waters of the St. Lawrence River, a task that showcases his exceptional skills in navigation and cartography.

Cook sets sail on the HMS Endeavour, embarking on his first major expedition to observe the transit of Venus and explore the South Pacific.

Cook departs on his second voyage, this time with the HMS Resolution and HMS Adventure, to search for the hypothetical southern continent, Terra Australis.

Cook sets out on his final voyage, aiming to find a Northwest Passage and explore the northern Pacific, including the coasts of Alaska and Hawaii.

Cook becomes the first European to set foot on the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the Sandwich Islands. His arrival marks a significant cultural and historical moment.

James Cook is killed in a conflict with the native Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay, ending his life and his third voyage of exploration.