Episode 3 - Cartography
Home - Project Page - Introduction - Episode 1: Ancient Mapping - Episode 2: World Coverage - Episode 3: Cartography - Conclusion  This world map image is a drawing from Rumold Mercator. It was taken from Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Mercator_World_Map.jpg This episode is more about the development of a new kind of technical science that required a great deal of mathematics. It also includes one of the major contributors to mapping out the planet through a system that would later become a baseline standard for navigational charts. This specific individual was Gerard Mercator and he devised a way to project the round Earth onto a flat surface which is known as mapping and cartography. Gerard Mercator was more than just the founder of a common grid system currently used today for navigation.
 A portrait of Gerard Mercator with compass and globe taken from this site. The split globe image above is a spectacular drawing by Rumold Mercator. Rumold was a skilled cartographer and son of the famous Gerald Mercator. By clicking on the above image a larger version is displayed allowing a closer view of the intricate detail that a professional cartographer places on each map and chart. The more precise the rendition the more accurate of a depiction to the real world. These maps were used primarily as resources and tools than just fantastic displays of art. Explorers, land lords, royalty, tradesman, and militias needed these maps for a better situational awareness. Precise and proper planning could be obtained by having an well developed scale of the land and seas to pull from. Cartography became a prevalent in the late Renaissance period when the need for further exploration beyond the site of the coast and during daylight. Celestial navigation provided adequate means of travel, but the ability to geo-locate the position of the ship in open seas could enhance speed, direction, and oceanic navigation. A grid system on land also provided for precision coordinates that could be used for military use as well as political boundaries. Take another look at the two-sided image of the Earth again, but this time look at how there seems to be a distortion of the truth from the continents we know today. Antarctica is much larger than we usually see is displayed on a two dimension flat map. Of course we know that a spherical object will distort if flattened into a two dimensional image, but the there still is an inaccurate display of Antarctica. The reason for this is the limited knowledge and mathematical calculations for distance and plotting. It will not be until many years later that the correct proportions are presented on maps and globes. Now also look at the map's faint neat lines draw across the Earth from East to West and North to South. These are the Mercator lines. These lines depict a grid system that allows navigation without the use of land features. A thorough knowledge of mathematics is required in order to plot and pull a navigational grid from the map.
http://mathsforeurope.digibel.be/mercator.htm
The above graphical image may not look like much, but it actually provides many travelers and explorers nearly accurate coordinates to their location. This was extremely important for those that needed to travel beyond the line of sight from land. By having a graphical navigational system in place such as this travelers can set sail anywhere in the world. Celestial navigation was stilled required to locate one's position, but then it can be determined as to the distance and direction via the Mercator system. Gerard Mercator developed this system based on the degrees of the Earth. Notice the 0 to 180 on either side of England. It was determined that the best choice for a starting point would be Greenwich England. This would later become the starting point for time zones around the world. The 180 degrees on either side completes the 360 degrees needed for a sphere while the 80 degrees (later 90 degrees) represents the Northern and Southern measurements. The spaces between the horizontal (latitude) grid lines slowly expand as they graduate to the North or South pole. This is because the flat 2D map is distorted from an actual sphere. in order to accurateyl represent and near precise position the latitudinal lines must be further apart. Mercator did not take into account that the longitudinal lines needed to converge at the poles, but this was corrected later on.  http://mathsforeurope.digibel.be/mercator.htm The black and white drawing above shows a simple illustration of the Triangulation Method used to determine the distance between two points with the aid of an angle measurement instrument. Notice how the two individual are standing in separate locations, yet are still coming up with the same distance. By sliding the cross bar up and down the angle measurement instrument different degrees of angle are given. Then using that known angle and calculating the two points can be found by using the mathematical sine rule.
 This image is a portrait of Gerard Mercator. It was taken from the site listed below. http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/PictDisplay/Mercator_Gerardus.html
Interpretation:
Cartography in the Renaissance started to develop into the useful tool that it is today. With the expansion of global discovery and dominance, civilizations were able to grow in the study of science through the sharing of knowledge. Different cultures were easier to each by ship. The Far East provided the European Union with the addition of paper (printing), gun powder, and the compass. These four great inventions all contributed to the expansion of knowledge in science, mathematics, physics, and chemistry. Gerard Mercator's reliance on prior philosophers such as Copernicus, Ptolemy, and Galileo shows the network of great minds working off of each others studies.
 This image is another portrait of Gerard Mercator. It was taken from Wikipedia.
Primary Sources: My primary sources are... "Gerardus Mercator." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 10 Nov 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerardus_Mercator&oldid=250954512>. (Last accessed 10 November 2008). This image is a perfect image to show quality and detail in the art and trade of cartography. It is also unique that Gerard Mercator's son was the author of the work. Secondary Sources: Monmonier, Mark. "Rhumb Lines and Map Wars: A Social History of the Mercator Projection". 2004. <http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/534316.html>. (Last Accessed November 24, 2008). This article is a good example and reliable source for a secondary source. Mark Monmonier wrote this book explaining details of cartography in the medieval times and how Mercator came about with strife from others. Wright, Edward. "Mercator Projection". <http://mathsforeurope.digibel.be/mercator.htm>. (Last Accessed November 24, 2008). This sight is elementary in nature, but provides useful historical information. O'Connor, JJ and E F Robertson. "Gerardus Mercator". Aug 2002. <http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Mercator_Gerardus.html>. (Last Accessed November 24, 2008). The majority of thie episode's images were taken from this site. "Gerardus Mercator." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 10 Nov 2008. <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gerardus_Mercator&oldid=250954512>. (Last accessed 10 November 2008). A useful sight to obtain backing support for facts. It also provided the Rumold Mercator's global map seen above. |
