On 13 August 1768, British sailor James Cook (1728–1779) departed from Plymouth Sound and went on to become famous throughout the world for his three expeditions into the Pacific Ocean (1768–1779/80). He was the first European to map New Zealand, Australia, and the islands of the South Pacific. These European voyages of discovery had a global impact and marked the beginning of a new period of political, cultural, and ecological colonization.
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Further Readings:
- Cook, James, and John Barrow. Captain Cook's Voyages. London: Cassell, 1908. E-book
- Richardson, Brian. Longitude and Empire: How Captain Cook's Voyages Changed the World. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2005.
Day:
13
Month:
8
Year:
1768