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Captain James Cook was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer who led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. On August 22, 1770, Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for Britain, naming it New South Wales. This act of claiming land that was already inhabited by Indigenous people is often seen as a symbol of the adverse consequences of European contact and colonisation. So, why did Captain Cook claim Australia?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of claim | 1770 |
| Person who claimed | Lieutenant James Cook |
| Territories claimed | East coast of Australia, New South Wales, Queen Charlotte Sound, Possession Island |
| Indigenous people | Guugu Yimithirr, Kaurareg First Nations, Māori |
| Name of ship | HMB Endeavour |
| Purpose of voyage | To observe the transit of Venus, discover and claim the 'Great South Land' |
| Sponsor of voyage | Commissioned by King George III |
| Consent of Indigenous people | No |
| Journal entries | "So far as we know [it] doth not produce any one thing that can become an Article in trade to invite Europeans to fix a settlement upon it" |
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What You'll Learn
- Captain Cook's orders were to take possession of Australia with consent of the natives or if he found the country uninhabited
- Cook's journals confirm he knew Indigenous people inhabited the land
- Cook's journals also state the land did not seem favourable or useful to the British
- The British wanted to find the Great South Land and map the Pacific
- Cook's voyages paved the way for later British engagement in the Pacific
Captain Cook's orders were to take possession of Australia with consent of the natives or if he found the country uninhabited
Captain James Cook claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown in 1770, naming it New South Wales. In his journal, he wrote that the land did not seem favourable or useful to the British.
Cook's orders were to take possession of the continent "with the consent of the natives" or if he "found the country uninhabited". However, it is known that both of these conditions were not met, as he wrote extensively in his diaries about the occasions when he and his party interacted with Indigenous people.
The question of why Cook ignored his orders remains unanswered. One theory is that he did not recognise the Indigenous people as "inhabiting" the land in the same way that Europeans did. Another possibility is that the British government at the time was facing many issues and chose to ignore the rights of the Indigenous people.
The British Library holds sealed instructions from the Admiralty, which reveal that one of the reasons for supporting Cook's voyage was to observe the transit of Venus. Another 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.
The exhibition 'Unsettled' at the Australian Museum explores the invasion of Captain Cook and the British through the perspectives of the Kaurareg First Nations people. Elder Waubin Richard Aken of the Kaurareg First Nations people points out that the famous image of Cook landing on Tuined (Possession Island) with his party is based on the dubious claim that the local Indigenous people were subdued or ran away. This claim was made by Sir Joseph Banks in his journal entry from 21 August 1770, where he describes seeing 10 Indians standing on a hill, 9 of whom were armed with lances and the tenth with a bow and arrows.
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Cook's journals confirm he knew Indigenous people inhabited the land
In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook, captain of the ship HMB Endeavour, claimed the east coast of the Australian continent for Britain. He named it New South Wales. However, Cook's journals and other historical records confirm that he was aware that Indigenous people inhabited the land.
In his journal entry from 22 August 1770, Cook acknowledged that he had previously taken possession of several places on the coast in the name of the British Crown. On that day, he once again hoisted British colours and claimed the entire eastern coast for King George III. This act of claiming land that was already inhabited by Indigenous people has been interpreted as an illegal act of colonisation.
Cook's journals provide insights into his encounters with Indigenous people during his voyages. For example, Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Cook, wrote in his journal on 21 August 1770 that they observed "10 Indians standing on a hill; 9 were armed with lances [...] the tenth had a bow and arrows". This observation was made as they passed through the Torres Strait, and it indicates that they were aware of the presence and potential resistance of the local Indigenous people.
Furthermore, Cook himself expressed a level of respect for the Indigenous people he encountered. He believed that Aboriginal Australians were happier than the British due to their social equality, warm climate, and access to life's necessities. Cook also questioned the idea that contact with Europeans would inherently benefit Indigenous people. In 1773, he wrote:
> "We debauch their Morals already too prone to vice and we interduce among them wants and perhaps diseases which they never before knew and which serves only to disturb that happy tranquillity they and their fore Fathers had injoy'd."
Cook's instructions from the Admiralty included gaining the consent of Indigenous peoples before claiming any inhabited land for Britain. This guidance, prepared by the Royal Society's president, the Earl of Morton, emphasised the importance of patience, forbearance, and restraint in interactions with Indigenous peoples. It also recognised them as the “natural and legal possessors” of the lands they inhabited.
Despite these instructions, the British arrival in Australia brought armed conflict and a lack of understanding, leading to the demise of the northern Sydney clans and other Indigenous groups in the region. The Indigenous populations were devastated by introduced diseases, food shortages, and the environmental impact of colonisation.
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Cook's journals also state the land did not seem favourable or useful to the British
Captain James Cook, a British Royal Navy officer, explorer and cartographer, led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. In 1770, he claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown, naming it New South Wales.
In his journal, Cook wrote that the land did not seem favourable or useful to the British, stating:
> 'So far as we know [it] doth not produce any one thing that can become an Article in trade to invite Europeans to fix a settlement upon it'.
This suggests that Cook did not believe the land had any economic value for the British, and that it was unlikely to attract European settlers. However, despite Cook's assessment, the British did eventually establish a presence in the region, with a British convict settlement being set up in New South Wales 18 years later.
It is important to note that Cook's journals also reflect the attitudes of the time towards indigenous peoples. For example, Sir Joseph Banks, who accompanied Cook on his voyage, described the local Indigenous people as "cowardly and submissive", which served as justification for colonisation and dispossession of their lands.
Cook's decision to claim the land for Britain, despite his own reservations about its value, can be attributed to a variety of factors. Firstly, he may have felt pressure to follow the orders given to him by the British government, which included instructions to take possession of the land with the consent of the natives or if he found the country uninhabited.
Secondly, Cook's focus on exploration and cartography may have influenced his decision. As one of the greatest sea explorers, he is known for his contributions to expanding geographical knowledge and paving the way for later British engagement in the Pacific. His skills in cartography and mathematics, as well as his previous experience in surveying and mapping coastlines, likely played a role in his decision-making.
Finally, it is worth considering the broader context of European colonialism and the belief in the superiority of Western cultures over indigenous peoples. Cook's actions reflect the mindset of the time, which often involved claiming indigenous lands without consent and disregarding the presence and rights of the native inhabitants.
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The British wanted to find the Great South Land and map the Pacific
The British had long been interested in finding the so-called Great South Land, which was believed to lie in the unmapped waters of the Pacific Ocean, somewhere to the east of Australia. In 1768, the British Admiralty and the Royal Society commissioned an expedition to the South Pacific Ocean, with the aim of observing the transit of Venus from Tahiti and seeking evidence of the postulated Terra Australis Incognita or "undiscovered southern land".
James Cook, a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer, was chosen to lead this expedition. He had already gained recognition for his mapping of the coastline of Newfoundland and his important astronomical observations. Cook's voyage on the HMS Endeavour would be the first of three voyages to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, during which he would greatly expand geographical knowledge and pave the way for later British engagement in the Pacific.
After observing the transit of Venus in Tahiti in June 1769, Cook set sail in search of the Great South Land. He travelled to Huahine, Bora Bora, and Raiatea before heading southwest. However, he was unable to find the mythical landmass and instead sailed to New Zealand, where he spent six months charting its coast and claiming Queen Charlotte Sound for Britain.
Convinced that no unknown southern continent existed in those latitudes, Cook continued west and, in April 1770, became the first European to encounter Australia's eastern coastline. In August of that year, Cook climbed to the highest point of an island off the northern coast of Australia, which he named Possession Island. From this vantage point, he claimed the entire eastern coast of Australia for Britain, naming it New South Wales.
Cook's actions in claiming the Australian continent for the British Crown have been highly controversial. He had been instructed to take possession of the land "with the consent of the natives" or if he "found the country uninhabited". However, he had extensive interactions with Indigenous people during his voyage, as recorded in his journals, and so he clearly recognized their presence. Despite this, Cook chose to ignore his orders and went on to claim the land for Britain regardless.
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Cook's voyages paved the way for later British engagement in the Pacific
Captain James Cook, a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer, led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. His first voyage, from 1768 to 1771, aimed to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti and seek evidence of the postulated Terra Australis Incognita or "undiscovered southern land". This expedition was a combined effort between the Royal Navy and the Royal Society, commissioned by King George III.
Cook's voyages greatly expanded geographical knowledge and paved the way for later British engagement in the Pacific. He is often regarded as a founding figure of modern Australia and New Zealand. Cook's exploration of the east coast of Australia, his mapping of the coastline, and his interactions with Indigenous people, set the stage for further British involvement in the region.
In 1770, Cook claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown, naming it New South Wales. This act of claiming territory was based on the notion of 'terra nullius', which means 'empty land'. This claim was made despite the presence and sovereignty of Indigenous people, such as the Guugu Yimithirr and Kaurareg First Nations people. The British Crown's instructions to Cook were to take possession of the land with the "consent of the natives" or if he found the country uninhabited. However, Cook's journals indicate that he encountered and interacted with Indigenous people during his exploration.
The British engagement in the Pacific that followed Cook's voyages took on a colonial form, with the establishment of a convict settlement in New South Wales eighteen years after Cook's claim. This marked the beginning of British colonisation in Australia, which had significant adverse consequences for the Indigenous people, including violent encounters and the spread of infectious diseases.
While Cook's voyages contributed to the expansion of geographical knowledge, they also facilitated the colonisation and dispossession of Indigenous lands. The negative impacts of these expeditions, particularly the claiming of Indigenous lands without consent, have been highlighted by critics and scholars.
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Frequently asked questions
Captain Cook was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer who led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. He was the first recorded European to visit the east coast of Australia.
Captain Cook's justification for claiming Australia was that he had consent from the natives or if he found the country uninhabited. However, it is known that both these claims are untrue as he wrote extensively in his dairies about his interactions with Indigenous people.
Captain Cook's orders were to take possession of the continent with the "consent of the natives" or if he "found the country uninhabited".
Captain Cook is regarded as one of the greatest sea explorers and is often considered a founding figure of modern Australia and New Zealand. His voyages greatly expanded geographical knowledge and paved the way for later British engagement in the Pacific.
Captain Cook claimed the eastern portion of the Australian continent for the British Crown on 22 August 1770, naming it New South Wales.
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