James Cook: A Life of Exploration and Discovery Born: October 27, 1728, Marton-in-Cleveland, United Kingdom Died: February 14, 1779, Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii Occupation: Explorer, Navigator, Cartographer, Captain in the Royal Navy Early Life and Naval Career Cook's early life was marked by humble beginnings. Born to a farmhand, he received basic schooling before working as a farm laborer. At 16, he began an apprenticeship with John Walker, a shipowner in Whitby, gaining valuable experience in the merchant navy and developing his navigational skills. He joined the Royal N…