Marine Science Timeline

By 1104ryan
  • Jan 1, 1002

    Leif Erikson

    Leif Erikson
    He, along with others, sailed to North America, first people from Europe to reach the new continent
  • Jan 1, 1200

    Islam Exploration

    Islam Exploration
    Islam explores more, attempting to reach the top again after losing some of its dominance at sea
  • Feb 27, 1450

    African Coast

    African Coast
    Prince Henry the Navigator sends expiditions down the West Coast of Africa
  • Feb 27, 1492

    Christopher Columbus

    Christopher Columbus
    Christopher Columbus reaches the Caribbean, he believes he found a new route to Asia
  • Jan 1, 1500

    China Explores

    China Explores
    China begins to explore out of its borders to trade its goods, it finds that they are the most advanced civilization and isolate themselves from the world
  • Feb 1, 1513

    Florida and Florida Current

    Florida and Florida Current
    Juan Ponce de Leon led an expidition to Florida, here he discovered the Florida Current which became very helpful for ships heading to Europe.
  • Period: Feb 26, 1564 to

    Galileo Galilei

    Discovered mass, weight, and acceleration. Helped to show how things move, explained planets.
  • Period: Feb 26, 1571 to

    Johannes Kepler

    Discovered planetary movement, helped with navigation on oceans.
  • Period: to

    Sir Isaac Newton

    Explained gravity which in turn helped to describe the way tides function.
  • Period: to

    Edmund Halley

    Helped discover longitude and the age of the oceans, helped to explain the oceans.
  • Period: to

    James Harrison

    Created the marine chronometer: used to find longitude of ship at sea. In a time where there was so much sailing, this made long distance travel safer
  • Period: to

    Captain James Cook

    Took first soundings; made observations of winds, currents and temperatures. Started to understand how the ocean works.

  • Gulf Stream Chart

    Gulf Stream Chart
    Ben Franklin charts the Gulf Stream. Chart shows sailors where the trade winds are, allowing for sailors to find the fastest routes.

  • Lieutenant Matthew F. Maury

    Lieutenant Matthew F. Maury
    Established the first textbook on oceanography, Showed the condition and direction of the sea. Made sailing safer for people.

  • WOCE

    WOCE
    Studies the oceans using computer modules and chemical tracers. Models the oceans and the atmosphere