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Who discovered Australia before Cook?

Who discovered Australia before Cook?

The book “Beyond Capricorn” says the map, which accurately marks geographical sites along Australia’s east coast in Portuguese, proves that Portuguese seafarer Christopher de Mendonca lead a fleet of four ships into Botany Bay in 1522 — almost 250 years before Britain’s Captain James Cook.

Did the Chinese find Australia first?

In a book titled 1421: The Year China Discovered the World Gavin Menzies claims that in the 1420’s several fleets of Chinese ships sailed around the world, making contact with many countries before Europeans explored them, including Australia.

Who was king when Australia was discovered?

King George III
The development of a distinctly Australian monarchy came about through a complex set of incremental events, beginning in 1770, when Captain James Cook, in the name of, and under instruction from, King George III, claimed the east coast of Australia.

What did the Spanish call Australia?

The investigation indicates that it was not until 1531, when the French cartographer Oronce Fine established in his maps an imaginary continent that he called Terra Australis, which in Latin means “land of the south” or “land of the southern winds.”

Why are Aborigines called?

‘Aborigine’ comes from the Latin words ‘ab’ meaning from and ‘origine’ meaning beginning or origin. It expresses that Aboriginal people have been there from the beginning of time.

What did Zheng He discover about Australia?

“There’s stacks of evidence that they were there,” he argues. “Wrecks, plants found in Australia by the first Europeans which had come from China, carved stones, kangaroos in the Chinese emperor’s zoo, Chinese jade, figurines and ceramics.”

Who were the first humans to live in Australia?

The oldest human remains in Australia were found at Lake Mungo in south-west New South Wales, part of the Willandra Lakes system. This site has been occupied by Aboriginal people from at least 47,000 years ago to the present.

Who were the first peoples in Australia called?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia, meaning they were here for thousands of years prior to colonisation.