The Amazing Life and Strange Death of Captain Cook: Crash Course World History #27
In which John Green teaches you about the life and death of one of history’s great explorers, Captain James Cook of the British Navy. He charted large swaths of the Pacific ocean, laid claim to Australia and New Zealand, and died a bizarre death in the Sandwich Islands, which are now called the Hawaiian Islands. Exactly how and why Captain Cook was killed in Hawaii is a long-running historical debate. John presents two interpretations of the event, and talks about what the differing interpretations say about history. It turns out how the story is told depends on who is doing the storytelling, and people from different backgrounds can interpret events in very different ways. Also, there is a celebration and a moustache involved in this episode, so you definitely don’t want to miss it.
This is my favorite episode we’ve ever done, I think.
Captain Cook is kind of our Christopher Columbus so thanks for doing this one John! I wasn’t complaining beforehand that Australia hasn’t been mentioned, but now I’m not even gonna start.
Also I like how the first story of Cook’s violent death is described as “pretty cool”.
It does sound pretty cool.
(also the lament “Captain Cook” != “Captain Hook” I see you have also fallen victim to the plight of literally every child to go through the Australian primary school system)
(note that this is a joke and there were some children who went through the Australian primary school system who had far more horrible plights, the example of thousands of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their parents and re-educated into white Australian culture 1869-1970 springing to mind “at least we didn’t murder them” eehhhhhhhhhhhhh :T)
