Lexi Webster
In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook, captain of the ship HMB Endeavour, claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for Britain, naming it New South Wales. Cook's voyage was commissioned by King George III, and his journey began in 1768. Cook's expedition became the first known Europeans to reach the east coast of Australia, making landfall near present-day Point Hicks. On 22 August 1770, Cook climbed to the highest point of Possession Island and claimed the entire east coast of the Australian continent that he had surveyed as British territory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Explorer | James Cook |
| Year of Claim | 1770 |
| Date of Claim | 22 August 1770 |
| Territory Claimed | East Coast of Australia |
| Territory Named | New South Wales |
| Name of Island Where Claim was Made | Possession Island |
| Name of Ship | HMB Endeavour |
| Name of Voyage | First Voyage of James Cook |
| Name of British Monarch | King George III |
| Name of Country Claimed for | Great Britain |
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What You'll Learn
- Lieutenant James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain in 1770
- The voyage was commissioned by King George III
- The Endeavour reached the northernmost point of the Australian continent, proving the existence of the Torres Strait
- Cook climbed to the highest point of Possession Island and claimed the land for Britain
- Cook's voyage had three aims, including observing the transit of Venus and claiming lands for Britain
Lieutenant James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain in 1770
Cook had good skills in cartography and mathematics. His voyage had three aims: to establish an observatory in Tahiti to record the transit of Venus across the Sun, to record natural history, and to continue the search for the 'Great South Land'. This was a land mass believed to lie in the unmapped waters of the Pacific, east of Australia.
On 22 August 1770, Cook reached the northernmost tip of the Australian coast and named it York Cape (now Cape York). He then climbed to the highest point of the nearby Possession Island and claimed the entire east coast of Australia for Britain. He named it New South Wales.
Cook wrote in his journal that the land did not appear to have anything that could be of interest in trade to invite Europeans to settle there. However, his claim would lead to the establishment of a British penal colony in New South Wales 18 years later.
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The voyage was commissioned by King George III
The voyage of James Cook that led to his claiming of Australia for Britain was his first voyage, which took place from 1768 to 1771. It was commissioned by King George III and commanded by Cook, who was promoted from master to lieutenant so that he could take command of the HMB Endeavour.
The voyage had three aims. Firstly, to establish an observatory at Tahiti to record the transit of Venus across the sun, which took place on 3 June 1769. Secondly, to record natural history, led by 25-year-old Joseph Banks. The final, secret goal was to continue the search for the 'Great South Land', or Terra Australis, a southern continent that was believed to exist.
After completing the first two objectives, Cook opened sealed orders containing secret instructions from King George III. These revealed a second mission: to find and claim the alleged southern continent for Britain.
Cook set sail southward and reached and charted what are now New Zealand and the east coast of Australia. He never found Terra Australis, but his voyage had long-lasting consequences for the places he visited. He charted and claimed the places he visited in the name of his country, which led to their occupation and colonisation by Great Britain.
During his first voyage, Cook also claimed several other territories for Britain, including Mercury Bay in modern-day New Zealand, Queen Charlotte Sound in New Zealand, and Raʻiātea, Taha'a, Huahine, and Bora Bora.
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The Endeavour reached the northernmost point of the Australian continent, proving the existence of the Torres Strait
In 1768, Lieutenant James Cook embarked on his first voyage of discovery as commander of the HMB Endeavour, a British Royal Navy research vessel. The voyage was commissioned by King George III to explore the seas for the surmised Terra Australis Incognita or "unknown southern land".
In 1770, the Endeavour reached the northernmost point of the Australian continent, Cape York Peninsula, proving the existence of the Torres Strait. This discovery put an end to the speculation that New Holland (as Australia was then called) and New Guinea were part of the same land mass.
After this discovery, Cook climbed to the highest point of a small coastal island, which he named Possession Island, and claimed the east coast of the Australian continent for Britain. He renamed the eastern portion of the Australian continent New South Wales. In his journal, Cook wrote that the land did not produce anything that could "become an Article in trade to invite Europeans to fix a settlement upon it".
Despite Cook's assessment, his claim would lead to the establishment of a British penal colony in New South Wales 18 years later.
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Cook climbed to the highest point of Possession Island and claimed the land for Britain
In 1768, Captain James Cook set sail on the first of three voyages to the Pacific and Southern Oceans. He carried with him secret orders from the British Admiralty to seek "a Continent or Land of great extent" and to claim it for "the King of Great Britain".
On 22 August 1770, Cook climbed to the highest point of Possession Island and claimed the east coast of the Australian continent for Britain, naming it New South Wales. In his journal, he wrote:
> "Notwithstanding I had in the Name of his Majesty taken possession of several places upon this coast I now once more hoisted English Coulers [colours] and in the Name of His Majesty King George the Third took possession of the whole Eastern Coast...from [Latitude 38° South] down to this place by the Name of New South Wales together with all the Bays, Harbours Rivers and Islands situate upon the said coast."
Cook's voyage had three aims: to establish an observatory in Tahiti to record the transit of Venus; to record natural history; and to continue the search for the Great South Land. The second goal was to discover and claim for Britain the 'Great South Land', a land mass believed to lie in the unmapped waters of the Pacific, east of Australia.
Cook's charts and claims to the land, as well as the knowledge gained from his voyage, led to the formation of the modern countries of Australia and New Zealand and their occupation and colonisation by Britain.
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Cook's voyage had three aims, including observing the transit of Venus and claiming lands for Britain
In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook, captain of the ship HMB Endeavour, claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for Britain. This was one of the aims of his first voyage, which was a combined Royal Navy and Royal Society expedition to the south Pacific Ocean.
The voyage had three main aims. Firstly, to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti, which took place on 3 June 1769. Secondly, to seek evidence of the postulated Terra Australis Incognita or the "Great South Land", a land mass believed to lie in the unmapped waters of the Pacific, east of Australia. This was a confidential mission, with the publicly declared aim of returning Polynesian native Mai to his home in Tahiti.
The third aim was to claim lands for Britain. After observing the transit of Venus, Cook stopped at the nearby islands of Huahine, Borabora, Raiatea, Tupai, and Maurua, claiming them for Great Britain. He renamed the islands the Society Islands, as they lay contiguous to one another. He also claimed Mercury Bay and Queen Charlotte Sound in New Zealand for Britain, before claiming the eastern portion of Australia.
Cook climbed to the highest point of Possession Island and claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain, naming it New South Wales. In his journal, Cook wrote that the land did not produce anything that could "become an Article in trade to invite Europeans to fix a settlement upon it". However, 18 years later, a British convict settlement was set up in New South Wales, proving Cook's influence in facilitating British colonialism in the Pacific.
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Frequently asked questions
James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain.
James Cook sailed on the HMB Endeavour when he claimed Australia for Britain.
James Cook claimed Australia for Britain in 1770.
