This program is over. Hope you didn't miss it! Browse other programs we offer Captain Cook and the Pacific: The Polynesian Dispersal Evening Course Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET Code: 1J0530A Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Registration Options $30 Member $45 Gen. Admission Save when you purchase this program as a part of one of these series! 5 Program Series: Captain Cook and the Pacific: Chronicles of Legendary Expeditions View series details Resize text The three voyages of maritime exploration undertaken by Captain James Cook from 1768 to 1779 were filled with high drama, tragedy, intrigue, and humor, and their stories have been retold for centuries. Justin M. Jacobs, professor of history at American University, investigates their enduring appeal by pairing the latest scholarly insights with extensive visual resources focusing on the people, places, and events of the voyages. Jacobs places Cook and his world in historical context, highlights his substantive connections with the Polynesian world, examines his search for the “Great Southern Continent” and Northwest Passage, and analyzes social and political relationships both on board the ships and with the people of the many shores that were visited. Session Information The Polynesian Dispersal Long before the arrival of European explorers, an intrepid seafaring people discovered and settled nearly every inhabitable island throughout the Pacific Ocean, from New Zealand to Easter Island and Hawaii. Jacobs examines how, why, and when Polynesian navigators ventured out into the forbidding seas to find new lands. He also looks at how their societies developed differently on different islands while retaining cultural and linguistic similarities. Additional Sessions of the Captain Cook and the Pacific Series March 25: Cook's First Voyage April 1: The Second Voyage April 8: The Third Voyage April 15: Mutiny on the Bounty General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.
