The Explorations of

Captain James Cook

Did he really discover a Terra Nullius?
 James Cook
• James Cook was born in 1728 in Marton, a town in Yorkshire,
England. Although his father was a farm labourer, James
decided to be a sailor.
• When he was 18, James became a seaman apprentice. In 1755,
he joined the British Navy as an able seaman.
• In 1757, James passed his master’s seamanship exams. He used his knowledge of
surveying, navigating and astronomy to chart the coasts and harbours of
Newfoundland, on the east coast of Canada.
• In 1768, James was appointed First Lieutenant and given command of the HMS
Endeavour. His first voyage with this ship was to sail to Tahiti with a team of
scientists to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun, so that they could
calculate the distance from Earth to the Sun. After this mission, Cook was instructed
to sail further south, to look for Terra Australis and to find out what was there.
 Timeline of Cook’s First Endeavour Voyage
August 1769
James Cook sails from Tahiti March 1770 June 1770
to the neighbouring Society James Cook circumnavigates On the 10th of June, 1770, the
August 1768 April 1769 Island. Here, Cook takes on New Zealand. As he sails HMS Endeavour strikes the October 1770
James Cook and his crew of James Cook arrives at Tahiti board a Tahitian priest around, he accurately charts Great Barrier Reef. The ship In October 1770, the HMS
nearly 100 men leave for the scientific observation named Tupaia. The priest the entire coastline, is badly damaged. For the Endeavour leaves Australia
Plymouth, England on the of the transit of Venus. He acts as an interpreter for discovering that New Zealand next three months, repairs and heads back to England
HMS Endeavour to observe anchors the HMS Endeavour Cook when they come into is made up of two main are carried out on the ship in via Batavia, Java. In Batavia
the transit of Venus and to in Matavai Bay, where he contact with other islands, ‘Te Ika a Maui’ in the the Endeavour River. Here, many sailors catch dysentery
search for Terra Australis establishes a fortified base, Polynesian people and also north and ‘Te Wai Pounamu’ James Cook and his men and typhoid and over 30 men
Incognita. Fort Venus. assists with navigation. in the south. sight their first kangaroo. lose their lives.

January 1769 June 1769 October 1769 April 1770 August 1770 July 1771
James Cook and his men On the 3rd of June, 1769, In search of the southern James Cook and the HMS While waiting for their ship In July 1771, Cook and his
arrive at Tierra de Fuego. James Cook completes his continent, Cook sails to New Endeavour leave New to be repaired, Cook and his ship arrive back in Kent,
They introduce themselves first mission, the observation Zealand. Initially, relations Zealand and set sail for the men come into contact with England after a successful
to the local people and of the transit of Venus. with the Maori people of east coast of New Holland the inhabitants of New voyage. They recorded the
Joseph Banks collects a range New Zealand are hostile. (Australia). On his voyage, Holland (Australia). They are Transit of Venus and
of botanical specimens. The people of Tahiti are very Eventually, relations improve Cook begins charting the different to the Maori and incorrectly established the
Unfortunately, two of Banks’ friendly. Cook establishes and Cook is able to trade coastline. On the 29th of are very wary of their new idea of Australia as a terra
servants (Richmond and positive relations with the with the Maori for fresh April, Cook lands in Stingray visitors. The Aboriginal nullius. They collected
Dorlton) pass away due to Tahitians. supplies. Bay (later to be named people are not interested in unique records of the
exposure to the weather. Botany Bay). trading and Tupaia, the people, flora and fauna of
Tahitian priest, is unable to the places they visited.
communicate with them.
 Cook Makes First Contact
• While exploring the coastline of Australia in 1770, James Cook
recorded in his journal that he had sighted ‘native men, women and
children sitting around small campfires.’ Eventually Cook, Sir Joseph
Banks and Tupaia tried to make contact with the indigenous
population.
• Cook and his men described the people they saw and wrote
detailed journal entries which would later make their way back
to England.
• Despite their efforts, Cook and his men were unable to speak
with the Australians. They did not welcome the British and had
no interest in trading with them.
 First Contact with the Original Inhabitants
In 1770, James Cook and his men made first contact with the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia.
In small groups, role play what might have happened at this encounter.
Note: The British explorers and the first
inhabitants were unable to understand each
other. The Australians were very wary
of their new visitors.
 James Cook - Independent Activity
Imagine you are James Cook. You have just been appointed as First
Lieutenant and given command of the HMS Endeavour. Your first
voyage is a special mission to the South Pacific and Terra Australis.
Write a diary entry sharing your thoughts, feelings and experiences
about your new role and your first voyage to the south.
 James Cook - Quiz
Use the information from the previous slide to answer these questions.
1. What nationality was James Cook?
2. What year was James Cook born?
3. What was James Cook’s first job?
4. How old was James Cook when he joined the British Navy?
5. What was one of the places that James Cook drew charts for?
6. What appointment was given to James Cook in 1768?
7. Where did Cook’s voyage on the Endeavour take him and why?
 James Cook Quiz - Answers
1. What nationality was James Cook? British
2. What year was James Cook born? 1728
3. What was James Cook’s first job? seaman apprentice
4. How old was James Cook when he joined the British Navy? 33
5. What was one of the places that James Cook drew charts for?
Newfoundland
6. What appointment was given to James Cook in 1768? First
Lieutenant, commander of the HMS Endeavour
7. Where did Cook’s voyage on the Endeavour take him and why? Tahiti
to see the transit of Venus, then south to a possible Terra Australis.
 Terra Nullius
• ‘Terra Nullius’ was a phrase used to describe a land that was empty of people.
• When James Cook and his men explored the coastline of Australia in 1770,
they made some contact with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples (even though this was not overly successful).
• Even though Cook had drawings and other detailed information about
encounters he had with the first inhabitants of Australia, he told the British
government on his return to England that Australia was a Terra Nullius.
• Using the information presented from Cook, the British government decided
that Australia would be a suitable place for England to send their convicts.
They decided to establish a penal colony in a place which they believed was
‘nobody’s land’.
 Terra Nullius - Independent Activity
Imagine that you are James Cook.
In pairs, write a letter to convince the British government
that Australia is a Terra Nullius and the perfect location to
establish a penal colony.
Use the list of reasons from the whole class
activity to help you.