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Module

Explore the historical impact and legacy of James Cook's voyages in this learning module.

Maritime historian Chris Maxworthy explored early interactions of colonial Australia with Peru and Chile (1788-1810).

Module

Explore the themes of discovery, cultural encounters, and the European settlement of Australia. 

Hear from Peter Crowley about his research for his debut book about surveyor Thomas Scott Townsend.

While Captain Cook's journal from the H.M.S. Endeavour is often on display in the Library's Treasures Gallery, it is currently not on display to allow rest and treatment for the long term preservation of the item.

The Library has recently acquired a journal recording the first Russian Antarctic expedition in 1819-21.

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Modern History for Senior Secondary students, with specific reference to content descriptions for Unit 1: Understanding the Modern World, and specifically those that fall under the topic elective ‘The Enlightenment (1750–1789)’.

Topic

During the Enlightenment, social and scientific thinking began to change. Enlightenment thinkers pushed for social change through the separation of church and state and the establishment of constitutional government. 

Topic

The British colonisation of the Americas began in 1606 with the chartering of the Colony of Virginia.

Topic

For centuries, explorers had been funded by their governments and by private investors to set out into unknown parts of the world. Many of these adventures were driven by the potential for profit and resources.

Topic

Officially, Cook had been instructed by the British Admiralty to observe the transit of Venus, at Otaheiti (now Tahiti) for the benefit of the Royal Society.