James Cook: the Surveying of Pacific Ocean

This thesis will examine the figure of Captain James Cook and his voyages to the Pacific in the 18th century. In particular, it will describe his three voyages and the extent to which they contributed to colonial expansion and shaped a Eurocentric perspective. The central thesis of this paper is: James Cook's 'voyages of discovery' contributed significantly to European expansion and laid the foundations for colonisation in the Pacific. This thesis will be examined in detail throughout this paper and will ultimately be addressed in a concluding discussion based on the findings gathered in this study. The thesis will be explored in greater depth with the aid of a research question. The research question, which will also be explained in this thesis, is as follows: To what extent did James Cook's cartography and 'voyages of discovery' pave the way for European expansion in the Pacific? In order to examine the thesis and research question academically, specialist literature spanning several centuries was consulted, along with extracts from the diaries of contemporary eyewitnesses. With regard to the colonial aspect, maps by the cartographer Henry Roberts were taken into consideration. The key findings were finally summarised in the concluding remarks, followed by a reflection on James Cook's role in colonial policy.