Explorer · 1728 – 1779
James Cook
Little-Known Facts
- Cook rose from humble origins as a farm labourer's son to command Royal Navy expeditions, an unusual ascent for his time.
- By insisting on fresh provisions and cleanliness, he kept scurvy almost entirely off his ships, a remarkable feat for long voyages.
Myths & Misconceptions
Did Cook discover Australia?
No. Aboriginal peoples had lived there for tens of thousands of years and earlier Dutch navigators had sighted parts of the coast; Cook charted its eastern shore for the first time.