Content: Lesson-Hist Cartography > Test
Construction
Lesson Topic/Subject: Historical Cartography
Overview
Grade Level: 7th-Grade Geography
Purpose:
The overview of the history of cartography will provide students with a clearer
understanding of how the perceptions of the western world changed through
geographical exploration and advances in technology.
| Lesson Objectives- Students will: | Domain: Cognitive |
| 1. Be exposed to the pivotal influences of early
explorers in map making.
2. Develop an understanding of the progression of maps. 3. Grasp the importance of the improvement of maps. |
Knowledge |
Comprehension |
|
Synthesis |
Corresponding Objectives from the ASD Seventh-Grade Social Studies
Framework:
| Movement: |
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Procedures:
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Introduction of terms and time line will be posted on the blackboard.
(Cartography, Cartographer, Medieval, Renaissance) -
A series of prominent maps from 1472 to the present will be printed on overhead films.
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With the introduction of each map, the teacher will present the background information containing the time frame, what discoveries prompted the new changes, and any notable characteristics.
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Discussion will be prompted by the teacher to elicit inquiry into the world perceptions presented by each map.
During Instruction:
The European Renaissance fostered more geographical exploration than any
other period in western history. Consequently, the European perception of
the world drastically changed. Maps and nautical charts are commonly used
today. The accuracy of these maps are taken for granted. Yet, just a few
centuries ago, maps were considered as keys to knowledge, political power,
and riches. Why were maps so important to the European powers? Answer: They
were seeking economic opportunities in the west.
Sequence:
Figure 1] Tripartite World Map of 1472. Notice that there are only three continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa represented. This was the established world view of that time and this map was drawn over 800 before, between 600-636 AD.
Figure 1A] Then Ptolemy's Cosmography was rediscovered. (Ptolemy was an ancient Greek and much of his work had been lost when the library of Alexandria was destroyed by fire.) Notice that only three continents are represented. This map was to influence navigators like Christopher Columbus for many years.
Figure 2] Henricus Martellus, a German, was the one map-maker in 1490 who linked the late medieval cartography to mapping that reflected the Renaissance and the new discoveries made during the 1480's. It was believed that Columbus used this map on his first voyage west in 1492.
Figure 3] It was gradually accepted that a new world was discovered and that is illustrated with Martin Waldeseemuller's map of 1507. Waldeseemuller was influenced by Amerigo Vespucci's accounts of the 1499 voyage to the north coast of South America where he realized that it was a new continent, not Asia as thought by Columbus. Waldeseemuller's map was the first to name the new continent America in honor of Vespucci.
Figure 4] Sebastian Munster in 1540-1550
was the first cartographer to display North and South America connected to
each other but separate from other land masses. Yet, it too had errors.
(Northwest Passage, Narrow Pacific Ocean, and California as an island)
Figure 5 & Figure 6] Naturally, maps were used as a basis for sea-charts in navigation. Therefore, during this period, it was essential to have as much accurate information as possible. Mercator revolutionized cartography in the mid 1500's with his development of an "isogonic cylindrical projection," which mapped a sphere onto a flat plane. The parallels are placed at increasing intervals from the equator in proportion to the increasing distances between the meridians, thus known as "waxing latitudes". This enables sea-men to take a straight line as constant bearing. Notice, he also fixed several errors of previous maps.
Closure:
Figure 7] Conclusion: an example of satellite
technology used today for accurate depictions of maps. Isn't interesting
how fairly accurate maps were in the 1500's with little technology compared
to maps of today? Can anyone name some other advances made through the
improvements in cartography over time?
Post-instructional: Evaluation of student learning:
Informal: Students submit weekly learning logs. Evaluation will be taken
by how they reflect on this experience.
Evaluation of the lesson: Overall, the lesson went very well. Students were very interested in the various maps and asked many questions during the presentation. The learning logs also contained very good comments from the students. They apparently learned some things they had not known before. For example, many students commented that they never knew that Amerigo Vespucci was the reason that America was named as it was.
Evidence Rationale Statement
Lesson: Historical Cartography
The lesson submitted as evidence was designed and taught using resources that went far beyond the basic text available to my seventh grade students. In fact, knowledge of computer graphics was essential to obtaining the historical maps needed for the presentation of information. The images were converted from their digitized form and transferred to transparency film for use with the overheard projector. The appropriate frameworks for the course which defines the district curriculum and content standards of instruction were strictly adhered to. The students of this lesson gained insight into the history of maps and map making while learning how these techniques are still used today.
Evidence meets standards: Content 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
Title
Page | Introduction & Table of
Contents |
Resume |
Biography |
© 2000 by Barbara L. Wilt (Schoolmarm). All written material is protected by United States copyright laws and is not to be reproduced by any means without documented reference & credit provided to the author. The only exclusion applies to Lesson Plans & Classroom materials which are freely available for use by all without restrictions.