The Life and Time of James Cook

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The life and time of Captain James Cook Cook was born in the village of Marton in Yorkshire. He was baptised in the local church of St. Cuthbert. Cook was the second of eight children in his family. In 1741, his family moved to Airey Holme farm at Great Ayton. His father’s employer, Thomas Skottowe , paid for him to attend the local school . He went to school for five years and began work for his father . Cook is likely to have visited his parents’ last home . After 18 moths , Cook travelled to the nearby port town of Whitby . Cook was taken as a merchant navy apprentice in their small fleet of vessels . In 1755 , within a month of being offered command of this vessel , he volunteered for service in the Royal Navy . Cook realised his career would advanced more quickly in military service and entered the Navy at Wapping on 7 June 1755 .He married Elizabeth Batt at 21 December 1762. Cook’s first pasting was with HMS Eagle , sailing with the rank of master’s mate . In October and November 1755 he took part in Eagle’s capture of one French warship and the sinking of another . His first temporary command was in March 1756 when he was briefly the master of the Cruizer , a small cutter attached to the eagle while on patrol . In June 1757 , Cook passed his master’s examinations at Trinity House , Deptford . During the Seven Year’s War , he served in North America as a master of Pembroke . He showed a talent for surveying and catorgraphy , and was responsible for mapping much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege . Cook his mastery of practical surveying , achieved under often adverse conditions and brought him to the attention of the Admialty and Roral Society at a crucial moment both in his career and in the direction of British overseas discovery . After the observation , Cook opened the sealed order which had additional instructions from
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