Biography of James Cook

The shape of the unknown lands

27 October 1728
14 February 1779
James Cook was born on 27 October 1728 in the village of Marton, York County, which is now a suburb of Middlesbrough, England. The family is of Scottish peasant origins and his father, a rigid and severe, governs a family of eight children and his wife Grace Pace from Thornaby, a native of the place. His father, also named James, practicing of farmhand. In 1736, for economic reasons, the family moved to Airey Holme farm at Great Ayton, where his father is later appointed superintendent. There James had the opportunity to attend primary school because the owner of the farm decides to pay school fees and, after graduating, he began working with his father. In 1745 he decided to move to another village where she worked as a shop assistant.
But the sea is her true passion and, after a few months of tireless work, he decided to move into the port town of Whitby, where he begins a tough apprenticeship at a mercantile company that transports coal from one point to another of the English coast. His career developed rapidly and in 1752 is second in command of "Friendship". However, trade is not his real bullet and James decides to enlist in the Royal Navy because only in this way can sail over the coasts of England. So in 1755 begins for him a new life. His enlistment forces him to start all over again and James loses the degrees obtained in the Merchant Navy. However even in the Royal Navy can climb quickly hierarchical steps. Starts as Master's mate on the ship "Eagle" then moved for a short time, under the command of "Cruizer", a cutter that follows the "Eagle" playing with the latter's instructions to attack the French ships. The period when James Cook begins his career is, in fact, one of the seven years ' war in which the British, Prussian allies, fought against the French and the Austrians.
Later he became a second lieutenant and master's degrees, two degrees that allow him the command of two different ships especially, as he wished, in seas far from their homeland. It is indeed in the seas of North America showing his ability to command and his skill as a cartographer and topographer. The latter quality that the Admiralty immediately notice, particularly when Cook track mapping of the coast of the island of Newfoundland, being able to indicate with precision all the details that constitute the whole coast of the island. It takes five years to do the work: from 1763 to 1767. In 1762 marries Elizabeth Batts with whom he had six children. During his travels, the family awaits him in a House at the East End of London.
Even the Royal Society becomes aware of his skills and, as in those years there was a very strong urge to explore unknown areas beyond the boundaries of British seas, proposes to organize a trip in the Pacific Ocean in order to observe the passage of Venus across the Sun and follow immediately after the draft other explorations. The point at which build the station to observe the movement of the stars is Tahiti. The operation takes place with all the precautions he is capable of Cook but due to lack of appropriate scientific material may not be accurate as he would like. His exploration continues until it is in New Zealand where map most of the coasts. Then for Australia and Moors in Botany Bay who later became the first British colony in Australia.
His trip, as well as allowing a number of important scientific discoveries (such as Australia's great barrier reef, against which however significantly harms his ship), especially to James Cook become the greatest Explorer of his time, generating impressive due to its documentation one mole of botanical information, naturalistic, historical, topographical, cartographic hitherto unheard of. Back in England, the Royal Society proposes another mission: finding the "Terra Australis", or see a southern continent. With the ship "HMS Resolution" Cook heads to the Arctic circle and joins him on 17 January 1773.
By continuing to browse through the South Pacific, reaching Tierra del Fuego where it stops for two weeks. Then heads across the Atlantic to the Northeast where it meets a strange land he calls "Cape Disappointment" because it represents his disappointment for not having found the Antarctic continent. His exploration continues with more energy but you have to stop in Tahiti to refuel. It then continues southwards but his search proves fruitless stops then on Easter Island and decides to return to England. His country's tribute, even for this second exploration, many honors and Navy dismisses him with the glory he deserves. However, in 48 years James Cook decides to plan another trip that should push into the Atlantic crossing the Pacific.
Take command of the ship "Resolution" and heads to Tahiti to bring home an indigenous, Omai, which had helped him during the previous trip. Come to Tahiti decides to keep heading north and reaches to the Hawaiian Islands, then continue along the American coast by mapping in detail the California coast up to the Bering Strait. Failing to pass the Strait, Cook decides to return to Hawaii where it stops for a few weeks. In this period his physical situation is worsening and is often prey to rabid instincts against his crew and against the natives. During an altercation caused by theft hurls his men against the Hawaiians and during the scuffle that follows is stabbed to death. It's on 14 February 1779 and England loses its biggest Explorer, at the age of 50 years.
The diaries of his travels and scientific findings collected during his last navigation is kept by Charles Clerke Commander of "Discovery" that had accompanied James Cook on his last voyage and that will bring them back to England with the last ship of the great Explorer. There are several places that today bear his name: the Cook Islands (associated State of New Zealand Oceania), Mount Cook (New Zealand's highest peak, 3754 m), la cala of Cook (New Zealand), the Cook Strait (that divides the two main islands of New Zealand), the Cook's Bay (island of Moorea in French Polynesia), Cooktown (Australia), the Cook Glacier (the principal of the Kerguelen Islands in Antarctic Territory).
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.