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the program. Hello the 18th century explorer and astronomer James Cook wrote,

Ambition leads me not only farther than any other man has been before me,

but as far I think as it is possible for man to go.

End quote.

Cook's ambition took him to the far reaches of the Pacific led to astronomical

astronomical observations which measured the distance of Venus to the Sun with

unprecedented accuracy. Cook's ambition wasn't just personal and astronomical, it represented

the ambitions of the British Empire which were linked inextricably with science and trade.

The great transit of Venus measurement on Cook's Voicza Tahiti marked the beginning of a period of expansion by the British

which relied on maritime navigation based on astronomical knowledge.

How had ancient trade routes set a precedent for colonial expansion?

What was the link between astronomy and surveying?

What tools did the 18th and 19th century astronomers have at their disposal?

And how did the British use signs to justify imperial ambitions.

...