The Means to Explore
How did the exchange of knowledge and technology make European exploration possible?
Expanding the Known World
Since traveling the world was limited, those who had made the journey to these exotic places returned and wrote books of their trip, but there was a lot of embellishing of the stories. Today's easy access to information on the internet makes it difficult to understand what life was really like, especially since most people never left their own community.
Expanding Navigational Technology
What technology do we use today, that allows us to do our school work and leisure time?
Which of these are most essential to your life?
What technologies do you believe would have been useful to help ships stay on course during these early explorative years?
Prince Henry the Navigator
Similar to how the Medici family became patrons of artists, Prince Henry of Portugal was known as Prince Henry the Navigator because of his interest in navigating and ships. Establishing a school for studying cartographers, mathematicians, astronomers, sailors, and navigators, those hungry for the knowledge of this science were able to convene at Sagres to learn of these topics. These early navigators were able to map new territories, fine-tune instruments that were used and created mathematical tables that were essential in establishing the latitude -- the distance north or south of the Equator.
Project: Navigational Technology
This assignment can be found in Workspace
You and a partner will be researching how the early travelers made use of their technology to navigate the globe. This will either be through the use of a navigational instrument or a specific type of boat. You will then be expected to explain how your tool is still used today.
List of instruments or ships
You will be required to answer the following information on your topic:
What is your instrument/boat? What is it's use/purpose/or best known for?
When was it invented?
Who invented/built this instrument/boat?
Where was this instrument or boat invented/made?
Why was this considered a piece of advanced technology, when it was first developed?
How is this item used? How was this item more useful compared to the technology that was already around? How is this technology being used today or how did it lead to the invention of a new piece of technology?
Using a poster format, prepare a poster on the invention.