LIB.200.6502
Jason Chester
Professor Regan
10/19/09
Assignment #5
The Shape of the World
“The Map Maker”
In a time where it was basically the blind leading the
blind. People all wanted to discover something but they had no
direction of where to go. Often they felt it was up to God’s
will or the cosmos how they found their way. The countries that
was strong in military and wealth such as Spain and Portugal,
wanted to secure their territories around the world, but mostly
they were after the natural spices. At that time and as always
food was very popular. If you had what everyone else wanted not
only were you going to be the king of trade, but you would also
be richer and powerful than any other for having what they
didn’t. This is where the map makers came into play.
If you were a map maker in your country you would have all
the favor of the king. It was the map makers who sent people on
their guided way, as well as set up which land mass belonged to
whom. Through the use of the compass, lines of longitude and
latitude, map makers were able to created maps and set up the
territories for which the powerful nations wanted to
behold.(Secrets of the sea)
This led to world trade and colonialism. When the powerful
nations were able to charter their ships to travel, they were
then able to travel and take over the foreign lands that they
seemed to have discovered even though they were already occupied
with inhabitants. This also led to many rivalries and amongst
the powerful nations. Had it not been for the pope who was able
to have Spain and Portugal come to terms over which countries
they would have as their own, there might have been a bloody
battle where innocent lives would have been lost. (the world)
The map makers were superstars of their time, having the
power to help their nations be more dominant. The ruling powers
had one intention and that was staying on top. They sought after
anything that would keep them there. They expanded their
territories and exploited the people who lived there. Making a
person who was born in a country that had all the resources to
make them self sufficient, actually dependent on a power that
they could never win a fight against. I only wonder if as we
discover other planets, if we too would try to exploit the life
that we have on those other planets as well.
Works Cited
The World - AD 1914." Concise Atlas of World History, Andromeda.
London: Andromeda, 1997. Credo Reference. Web. 21 October 2009.
"World Trade - 1492-1783." Concise Atlas of World History, Andromeda.
London: Andromeda, 1997. Credo Reference. Web. 21 October 2009.
“The shape of the world”- episode 2 “Secrets of Sea”. PBS video, acorn
media group. 1991.
LIB 200.6502
Jason Chester
“The Shape of the world”
Professor Regan