(Second) British Empire

James Cook Leader Profile (SubTimeline): 

1728- A son was born under two Scottish Farmers living in North England. They named the child James Cook.

1758- Many men were shipped to Canada for war against the French. Cook was also shipped, but he did not fight in war. Cook learned how to make maps in Quebec City under the teachings of surveyor Samuel Holland.

1759- To prevent the British sailing up the St. Lawrence River, the French removed all buoys and warning signs. However, with Holland and Cook’s charting and maps, the British successfully sailed up the river without suffering the loss a single ship.

1760- After Cook’s great performance in Canada, he was inaugurated master surveyor of the navy and was told to chart the coast of newfoundland. He used a simple method of running traverse.

1768~1771- Due to the great success in charting Newfoundland, Cook was promoted once again. He was sent to Tahiti (aka the Pacific) to watch the planet Venus, with a secret envelope he was told to open after recording the transit of Venus. After successfully recording the transit of Venus, he opened the enveloped with the envelope. The note read: FIND THE GREAT SOUTHERN CONTINENT or prove that it does not exist. Then, Cook turned his ship and headed towards New Zealand. After proving New Zealand was not part of the Southern Continent, he set sail for Australia. However, Cook later found out that a Dutch explorer Abel Tasman had already discovered the land in 1642. But after coming into realization no European ever discovered the Eastern coast of Australia, Cook charted 3200km of the Eastern region in 4months.

1770- Cook also discovered the Great Barrier Reef by running into it.

1772~1775- Cook was sent to solve the riddle of how to calculate the longitude of the Earth, so he set sail Southwards. However, due to too much loss of men he halted at Cape town, South Africa, Furneax. In November 2 ships were sent in search of the continent. And finally in January Cook was the first man ever to cross the Antarctic Circle.

1776~1779- When Cook and his men were sailing across the Pacific, after the sailing from Oregon to Alaska, they sighted a chain of islands. In need of repair, they sailed to Owhyee (today’s Hawaii). At first, the Hawaiians thought Cook was Orono (God of abundance), however disappointed in Cook and his men’s avarice, the Hawaiians killed all of them. In 1779 February 14^th, Cook died in the age of 50.