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Kona Field System: An interdisciplinary investigation of the human-environmental interactions that caused the death of Captain James Cook

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Date Issued:
2002
Summary:
By comparing research from several disciplines and subfields such as history, anthropology, and environmental archaeology, an alternative theory for the cause of Captain James Cook's death on February 14, 1779 developed. One of the basic needs of human beings is food. In 1779, food played an integral part in Hawaiian culture. The population in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii was at maximum potential and was supported by a large-scale agricultural system known as the Kona Field System. There were 284 men on Captain Cook's third expedition and they relied on the Hawaiians for their food provisions. The economic production of the Kona Field System was affected by several external factors. Environmental conditions, limited farming technology, population density, and sociopolitical organization were causes of food shortages and famines in Hawaiian prehistory. The death of Captain Cook was an indirect result of food scarcity that was caused by a combination of these external factors.
Title: The Kona Field System: An interdisciplinary investigation of the human-environmental interactions that caused the death of Captain James Cook.
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Name(s): Carney, Melissa Crimi.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Brown, Susan Love, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2002
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 83 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: By comparing research from several disciplines and subfields such as history, anthropology, and environmental archaeology, an alternative theory for the cause of Captain James Cook's death on February 14, 1779 developed. One of the basic needs of human beings is food. In 1779, food played an integral part in Hawaiian culture. The population in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii was at maximum potential and was supported by a large-scale agricultural system known as the Kona Field System. There were 284 men on Captain Cook's third expedition and they relied on the Hawaiians for their food provisions. The economic production of the Kona Field System was affected by several external factors. Environmental conditions, limited farming technology, population density, and sociopolitical organization were causes of food shortages and famines in Hawaiian prehistory. The death of Captain Cook was an indirect result of food scarcity that was caused by a combination of these external factors.
Identifier: 9780493913032 (isbn), 12946 (digitool), FADT12946 (IID), fau:9818 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2002.
Subject(s): Cook, James,--1728-1779
Agricultural systems--Hawaii--18th century
Food supply--Hawaii--18th century
Human beings--Effect of environment on--Hawaii--18th century
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12946
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.