The First World Map

Throughout history, maps and charts have captivated individuals. From ancient civilizations etching maps on clay to the creation of the atlas, the art of cartography has steered explorers, sailors, and warriors. Early societies and the Greeks played a role in the evolution of maps. European expansion commenced in the 8th century BC with the founding of colonies. Homer's Odyssey offered a glimpse into the familiar world of the Mediterranean. Seafarers such as the Phoenicians ventured beyond the Mediterranean, reaching distant lands. The ship has served as a crucial instrument for exploration for millennia. Ancient maritime wisdom has vanished. The South Sea islanders sail without compasses or charts. Arabian seafarers navigate solely by the stars. The Vikings navigated without maps and accomplished significant explorations. The Vikings raided Western Europe and the Iberian Peninsula before establishing new empires. They were the first Europeans to cross the North Atlantic and settle in Iceland, Greenland, and possibly as far as New England. The Vinland Map, illustrating the Viking's journey across the Atlantic, is suspected to be a forgery. During the Middle Ages, geographical knowledge was restricted and influenced by religious convictions. Venetians, surrounded by the sea, were adept navigators and initiated global exploration. Marco Polo's factual narrative of his travels to China became widely recognized.

Marco Polo and his family depended on local knowledge and guidance from indigenous people, rather than maps, in their expedition to Peking. Marco Polo's return to Europe by sea laid the foundation for the initial European maps, with each harbor being carefully marked on the world's first map. The systematic development of cartography was spurred by the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Portuguese explorers sought new routes to the south and established the School of Navigation in Sagres. European seafarers relied on prominent landmarks for navigation, as accurate sea charts were lacking. The established worldview of Christian Europe faced challenges from Islam's expansion and the fall of Constantinople. The disruption of the Silk Road prompted European powers to search for alternative routes to Asia. Henry the Navigator played a crucial role in the Portuguese exploration of the world in the 15th century. The voyages of Portuguese explorers led to the discovery and exploration of various parts of the globe. Henry the Navigator founded a school of navigation in Sagres to support and fund further exploration. Portuguese sailors utilized precise sea charts to navigate the open waters. They explored the African coastline and claimed new territories by planting crosses. The encounters with indigenous populations often resulted in the tragic practice of slavery. The Portuguese also challenged the dominance of Arabian gold traders in Africa. Before the Portuguese expeditions, China had already begun exploring the world with fleets of junks equipped with accurate charts and compasses. Chinese mariners ventured as far as the east coast of Africa and the Persian Gulf. However, the imperial court in China halted further exploration, preventing the world from being fully discovered by China. The Treaty of Tordesillas, signed in 1494, divided the newly discovered lands between Spain and Portugal, with Spain gaining control over territories west of the line. This division led to Spain's dominance in Southern and Central America, contributing to the growth of a vast colonial empire in the New World.

The configuration and discovery of the globe. The title America is bestowed in tribute to Amerigo Vespucci. Nautical navigation is transformed by global maps. Pioneers dispel misconceptions about the Southern Hemisphere. Cartographers precisely illustrate the globe as a sphere. The church's opposition to scientific revelations. The church's opposition to the heliocentric theory despite Copernicus's breakthrough. Galileo Galilee's trial and coerced renunciation of the heliocentric model. James Cook's expeditions of exploration and scientific inquiry expanded the British Empire and affirmed existing knowledge. James Cook mapped New Zealand and uncovered portions of Australia. Cook's journeys confirmed the presence of a southern landmass. The expeditions reassured individuals that the earth could be encircled and refuted myths about crossing the equator or navigating the Southern Ocean. Cook's voyages also extended British influence and spanned the globe. The Polynesians referred to as They Who Sail Long Distances, navigated confidently using the stars and possessed extensive sea routes memorized. James Cook possessed a more precise understanding of the globe than his forerunners and utilized advanced tools like telescopes and accurate compasses. The Industrial Revolution and technological progress in maritime navigation provided Europe with an edge in mapping and exploration. Maps were prized possessions and closely guarded secrets, frequently stolen or counterfeited for political gain.

The unexplored regions in Asia and Africa enticed scientists, merchants, and adventurers. Explorers endanger their lives to journey to unfamiliar territories and collect precise data. The German explorer, Carsten Niebuhr, went incognito as a Muslim to journey through the Arabian Peninsula, mapping and detailing the previously uncharted territory. Heinrich Barth, a German geographer, adopted the guise of a Muslim and meticulously sketched his expedition across the Sahara, becoming the first European to reach Timbuktu and providing precise data about the desert. Lawrence of Arabia assumed the identity of a scientific explorer to create accurate maps of the Middle East, which were instrumental in establishing new states with arbitrary boundaries. European mapmakers meticulously charted the world and strategized military operations with remarkable accuracy using their extensive maps. Sea charts and the compass are innovations of the modern era. Nowadays, ships rely on computerized navigation. It takes centuries for sea charts and the compass to evolve into dependable navigation tools. The first precise depictions of the world are crafted at sea. Mariners survey the coastlines while cartographers record the information on paper. Maps progressively become more trustworthy, making it easier for ships to navigate the seas. A captain no longer requires a compass or a chart to determine the ship's position. The ship's route is plotted on a screen. The computer has taken the place of the traditional chart.