**James Cook** (1728–1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer who became one of history's most celebrated maritime explorers. Born in Marton, Yorkshire, Cook rose through the naval ranks, achieving promotion to ship's master at age 29.[1] During the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), he gained valuable experience commanding vessels and surveying strategically important coastlines, including the St. Lawrence River and the northeast Atlantic seaboard.[2][5] Cook's most significant contributions came through three major Pacific expeditions between 1768 and 1779. On his first voyage (1768–1771) aboard the HMS Endeavour, he observed the transit of Venus in Tahiti, then charted New Zealand with remarkable accuracy and explored the east coast of Australia.[1][2] He completed the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand's main islands and claimed the surveyed Australian coast as British territory, naming it New South Wales.[1][2] During this voyage, the Endeavour struck the Great Barrier Reef, forcing Cook to beach and repair the vessel at what became known as Cooktown.[2] On his second expedition (1772–1775) commanding the HMS Resolution, Cook searched for the fabled "Southern Continent" (Terra Australis) by crossing the Antarctic Circle multiple times. He became the first person to cross both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles and disproved the continent's existence.[2][3] He also charted Easter Island, Tonga, New Caledonia, and the South Sandwich Islands.[3] His third voyage (1776–1779) aimed to locate the Northwest Passage. Cook explored the coasts of present-day Oregon and Alaska, reaching Cape Prince of Wales and Icy Cape before returning to the Hawaiian Islands, which he named the Sandwich Islands.[4][5] Cook died on February 14, 1779, during a skirmish with Hawaiian islanders at Kealakekua Bay.[3] Beyond exploration, Cook pioneered scurvy prevention through dietary measures including sauerkraut and citrus, earning the Royal Society's Copley Gold Medal.[1][3] His voyages produced the first accurate maps of the Pacific and are credited with providing more geographical knowledge than perhaps any other explorer in history.[3]