History: January 18 (#1)

History: January 18 (#1)
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
January 18, 1778 James Cook is the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands".

Commentary

Commentary

On January 18, in the year 1778: James Cook is the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands". The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islan ds, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaiʻi in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll. Why January 18, 1778 matters: James Cook is the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands". What began on this day left a lasting mark on history. The effects were felt immediately and continued to shape events, ideas, and lives long afterwards. Historical context: January 18, 1778 The Early Modern era accelerated global exchange of ideas, goods, and technologies, expanding science, navigation, and everyday material culture. The event on this day: James Cook is the first known European to discover the Hawaiian Islands, which he names the "Sandwich Islands". Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Islands (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)