Captain James Cook: The Pacific Explorer

James Cook was one of the great explorers of the Pacific. Why was he so successful? And how does this relate to our lives today? Cook remains an inspirational character for students today.

James Cook was a sailor and navigator who had one objective: to find the Great South Land. He never achieved this objective though, and the subsequent colonizing of the Pacific countries was done by others. Still, Cook rose from very humble beginnings to eventually have a space shuttle named after his ship. This story is an introduction to a great explorer, who's image, however, is currently under criticism for his association with the colonization of the Pacific nations.