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Period: Dec 1, 1497 to
The History of Cartography (1497 - Present)
Cartography has always been a very important aspect of the development of societies. Humans have always needed maps as ways to improve upon activities and better understand our relationship with the natural landscape. Over time we have found ways to use maps as ways that our advantageous for personal achievements and for problem solving purposes. -
Dec 24, 1497
Amraham Zacuto - Nautical Astrolabe
The creation of the nautical astrolabe by this Jewish Scientist allowed for the approximate measurement of latitude. This was an important step for cartography as it allowed for the measuring of distance from one place to another.
Source:
Source & Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariner%27s_astrolabe#/media/File:Astrolabe_(PSF).png -
Jan 24, 1504
Pedro Reinel - The Portolan
Pedro Reinel was a famous Portuguese cartographer that was able to utilize these improved understandings and instruments to create the Portolan. This map was significant as it is the first known map that included lines of latitude. -
Dec 24, 1569
Gerardus Mercator - The Mercator Projection
Gerardus Mercator was known for making the making the Mercator projection, which attempted to accurately display the earth on a flat surface. Mercator maps made the lines of latitude and longitude straight on a flat projection. This map displayed objects closest to the equator accurately, while objects further away were distorted. This became very important for exploration purposes, as it made it easier to navigate.
Source & image source: https://www.gislounge.com/mapping-through-the-ages/ -
May 20, 1570
Abraham Ortelius - Theatrum Orbis Terrarum
Created the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. It was a collection of 53 maps, some of his own and some from others.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Ortelius
Image Source: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Abraham-Ortelius/Map-Of-The-World,-From-Theatrum-Orbis-Terrarum,-Antwerp,-1598.html -
Creation of the Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Trading Company serves as an example of how cartography blew up in the 1600s with trading and imperialism. The rise of trade and desire for wealth caused a need for accurate maps of unknown regions for exploitation of their resources.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_cartography#The_competing_map-making_houses_and_the_rise_of_corporate_.28commercial.29_cartography
Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_East_India_Company -
John Smith - Map of Virginia Coastline
John Smith completed a map of the Virginia and its coastline. This was important for trading purposes and establishing territory.
Image Source: http://www.virtualjamestown.org/jsmap1.html -
Period: to
James Cook - Map of Newfoundland
James Cook was able to map out Newfoundland as well as much of the St. Lawrence River during his stint in the Seven Years War and some additional exploration.
Source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook#Conquest_of_Canada_.281758.E2.80.9363.29 -
John Snow - Cholera Cases Map
Created a map that located cholera cases in London, England. He also mapped out locations of roads, property boundaries, and water lines. He a was able to find a correlation of cholera cases and water lines. This would become first example of a spatial analysis and the root idea of Geographic Information Systems.
Source: http://gisgeography.com/history-of-gis/
Image Source: http://blogs.plos.org/publichealth/2013/03/11/john-snow-the-first-epidemiologist/ -
Launching of the first satellite and the Cold War's effects of cartography
The USSR launched their first satellite, Sputnik 1, on this date. This would spark the space race that would take place between the the USSR and the US. Because of this both countries would tirelessly work to improve their satellites and eventually use them for taking images of the Earth. This would change the scope of the cartographic field as images of the earth would be used in computers and GIS for mapping purposes.
Image Source: http://www.spacetoday.org/Satellites/YugoWarSats.html -
Period: to
Roger Tomlinson - The Father of Geographic Information Systems
Developed the idea for the Canadian Geographic Information System in as well as the Canadian Land Inventory in 1964. Canada had vast amounts of land and resources it needed to keep track of, therefore the need for mapping its territory was very important. It became fully operational in 1971.
Source: http://gisgeography.com/history-of-gis/ -
Period: to
Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
ESRI would become the company that would lead the way in modern day cartography, creating software and applications that both the government and private firms use tremendously when mapping out cities and environments. -
Creation of Google Earth
Google launched this extremely successful campaign that would change the way people would view the world. This allows anybody with internet access to visit any place in the world via the use of extremely precise satellite imagery.
Image Source: http://google-earth.en.softonic.com/
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