The time in history when Europeans started exploring Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean is known as the "Age of Exploration". As you will come to learn in class, there are many factors that led to European exploration. One of the more interesting was new technology. Now, what was considered "new technology" in the 1400s is not exactly what we'd consider cool today; however some of these inventions were completely life altering.
Here is your assignment for this week. Visit this site and choose ONE of the technology items described on the page. Then do your own Google search on the item you chose. In the comments section, explain what the invention was, how it worked and how it changed the lives of explorers. The catch is, once an invention is selected from the page and written about in the comments, you cannot pick it. So, it's first come//first served this week!
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ReplyDeleteA caravel was used for many things. The caravels were Spanish or Portuguese ships used for sailing that were small and fast. They were mainly used in the 15th to 17th century. They were also very easy to steer or maneuver. It helped explorers because the caravels were lighter then most boats which would help it move up in a river easier. Also an exploration done with a caravel made the "spice trade" with the Portuguese and Spanish possible. They were used as warships, pirate ships, patrol or dispatch boats, and cargo ships. They were very cheap and easy to make, which made them favored at the time. So although a caravel wouldn't be used today it was very favored and useful back in the 15th to 17th century.
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The magnetic compass and the compass rose was a very good invention. The magnetic compass was very important to all of the sailors so they knew what direction they were sailing, before the magnetic compass the sailors had to navigate by the sun and the stars. But the magnetic compass was a magnetized needle sitting on a card that had north, south, west, and east but the rich people had a compass with north, south, east, west, north east, north west, south east, and south west. So now that they had a compass they needed a compass rose for their maps, and between the compass and the compass rose the sailors got to their destination much faster.(117)
ReplyDeleteThe galleon is a ship that was developed during the 16th century. The reason these ships were so popular is because of their ability to adapt in different situations. It could be used as a trading ship in times of peace or it could be used as a warship in times of war. This ship is also a big step up from the caravel because it could adapt in any situation you put it in and it was also very fast. The galleon also had ribs and bracings that helped it withstand gunfire. The galleons were also very cheap because 5 galleons could cost around 3 carracks. It was also the main battleship for the English and Spanish fleet. The ship is also square rigged and lateen rigged. Various hardwoods such as pine and oak were used for hull and deck making. Hundreds of carpenters, shipmakers, pitchmelters, blacksmiths, shipwrights, and coopers worked day and night for months so that the ship could be seaworthy. The most prominent features of this ship is long beak, the lateen rigged mizzen masts, and the square gallery at the front of the ship. The most popular cannon used aboard the galleon was the demi-culverin. The galleon was used until the 18th century, but by then, it was rendered obsolete for trading and warfare because of ships such as the fluyt, the brig, and the full rigged ship like the ship of the line.(239)
ReplyDeleteThe Lead Line was a very useful tool. It was very helpful to sailors and explorers. It helped them measure the depth of the sea. It could also be used to be able to get a sample of the bottom of the ocean. It was very useful to sailors because it helped them now what type of ocean they were sailing over and what the depth of the water was. If you wanted a sample of the bottom of the ocean, here is what you could do. You would put a glob of tallow or animal fat in a hole at the bottom of the lead line. Then, once it reached the bottom of the ocean, things would stick to the fat and the tallow. As you can see, this tool was very helpful. (134)
ReplyDeleteTimeKeeping and Navigation were a big part of life back then. they didn't have clocks or google maps. they used stars and the sun to find out what time it was and for navigating a boat. Navigation involved Longitude and Latitude. they used it for finding where they were and where they needed to travel too. The Sand glass was used to keep time as well. Navigation took skiil, cause one wrong move and you are lost forever. Timekeeping, not so much. you could be a little off but it was ok as long as u were close. Galileo invented the clock, which keeps time perfectly. here have been tons of instruments made for navigating: Compass, Bygrave Position-line slide rule, ramsden Sextant, the list goes on, these were used back then. Now, everyone just types it in on google and maps comes up and theyre set, but it wasn't always that simple. (152)
ReplyDeleteThe Quadrant was something that was used for measuring the height of Polaris.The quadrant received its name because it is one fourth of a full circle. So practically its name was given to it just because of it shape In fact quad means four. It had much use even before it went to sea to help navigators. It can also be used used for measuring angles up to 90 degrees. The Quadrant helped measure latitude, it helped the age of exploration. The Quadrant helped people know where to go it was used for navigation proposes. So if people didn't know where they where then they would use the Quadrant. (109)
ReplyDeleteStarting in 1360 sailors and other people used the astrolabe. This was a great invention and primarily used to make astronomical measurements, typically of the altitudes and celestial bodies, but astute philosophers, astrologers, and sailors devised many uses for this instrument. Not many but some still use them today. Many teachers have them in their classroom to teach about the celestial sphere and how to plot and predict astronomical phenomena. It was used by a pointer in the middle of a circle that would point to the degrees and it would tell you what degrees you were at, somewhat similar to a compass. This tool helped sailors measure the angle of the sun which could then be converted to find latitude. The only set back for sailors was that this tool was better on land than at sea. [138]
ReplyDeleteDutch ships were a great step in exploration. The reason these were so much better than other ships for exploration is because they could be used for longer travel. Henry Hudson, a great explorer, used on of these ships on his voyages. He was later abandoned by some of his crew that was on the ship, they put Hudson, his son and other crew members they didn’t like in a small shallop and set it afloat. Hudson and the others were never seen again. Another reason this ship was useful was it could now travel to India with a full load of cargo. This is why Dutch ships were so important.
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The cross staff was a very good invention. The way to use the invention is you line up the sun on top of the top cross. It is a staff with a 2 crosspieces perpendicular to the middle piece. They used for astronomy before they invented the telescope. It was to help find the latitude of the whole world. It improved navigation for sailors to help them to tell how long the trips are. It helped them to tell where they were in the world. So even though we don’t use it today it was very helpful back in the Age of Exploration. (104)
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