18 January - James Cook became the first European to discover the ‘Hawaii Archipelago’. -Sandwich Islands.

 

James Cook, the British explorer and navigator, is credited with being the first European to make contact with and explore the Hawaiian Islands, which he referred to as the "Sandwich Islands."

Captain James Cook made three separate voyages to the Pacific Ocean during the 18th century. During his third voyage, he encountered the Hawaiian Islands. Cook first arrived at the island of Kauai in 18 January 1778, and over the following months, he explored and mapped several of the islands within the archipelago.

Cook's expeditions provided valuable information about the geography, culture, and natural resources of the Hawaiian Islands. His arrival had a profound impact on the history of Hawaii, leading to increased contact with Europeans and, eventually, Western influence in the region.

Unfortunately, tensions arose during Cook's final visit to the islands. In 1779, while attempting to resolve a dispute with the Hawaiians at Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawaii, Cook was killed during a violent encounter.

Despite Cook's tragic end, his exploration of the Hawaiian Islands marked a significant moment in the history of European exploration in the Pacific and had lasting consequences for the islands' future interactions with the outside world.