James Cook was born on 27 October 1889 near Middlesborough in Yorkshire, England.

Who was James Cook?

James Cook was a was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer (drew maps).

What is James Cook famous for?

James Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands and brought Australia and New Zealand into the British Empire.

He was the first British ship commander to circumnavigate the globe in a lone ship. He was also the first British commander to prevent the outbreak of scurvy by regulating his crew’s diet, serving them citrus fruit and sauerkraut to prevent the disease. In October 1769, he became the first European to land on New Zealand.

James Cook charted many areas and recorded several islands and coastlines on European maps for the first time. He explorations and maps provided much information about the Pacific Ocean, and about those who lived on its islands and shores.

The US space shuttle Endeavour is named after Cook's ship the HMS Endeavour.

Cooke was killed on 14 February 1779 at Hawaii.