When the Ancient Chinese first discovered the lodestone and created these first compasses they believed they had spiritual power. The compass was originally used for worship, fortune-telling, and geomancy-the art of aligning buildings. When it was later found that the spoon would point in the same direction no matter which way it was turned, they transitioned into using them as directional instruments.

As the compass was recognized to identify the direction of the magnetic South Pole and the geographic North, it became a revolutionary tool for exploration. Those travelling by land and sea were able to travel further distances with greater accuracy. Read correctly, the compass enabled sailors to travel direct routes, providing an invaluable tool when weather conditions inhibited the use of familiar directional tools such as stars and landmarks. 

As it evolved to be more accurate over time through better accounting for magnetic interference, the compass continued to be an important navigational tool. It's mere concept and existence led to eventual development of more sophisticated navigational systems, such as present-day GPS (global positioning system). However, the simple, modern-day compass, which is not reliant upon wifi or electricity still serves a purpose to hikers, campers and travelers while in remote areas.