| In a previous globe activity you learned about just a few of the
hundreds of early cultures that existed in the Americas prior to the
arrival of Columbus. In the following activity you will see how
geography played a part in delaying lasting contact between the old
world and the new world until just over 500 years ago.
|
| |
| On your globe, find the 60N line of latitude. Trace the line all the
way around the globe. In the following activity we will be drawing sea
routes that lie south of this line. Not many people lived north of 60N
before the time of Columbus, and for those who did, long distance travel
over the sea was difficult and often impossible.
|
| |
Use your globe's mounting ring to draw and measure the shortest
route between Europe and North America that is south of the 60N line of
latitude. Draw the route on the globe. What is this route and how far is
it?
(1.) _________________________________________________________________
|
| |
Next find the shortest routes between Africa and North America and
between Africa and South America. Draw them on your globe. What are
these routes and how long are they?
(2.)_________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
|
| |
Now look at the distances across the Pacific Ocean. What is the
shortest route between Asia and mainland North America and how long is
it? Remember to keep your route south of the 60 latitude line.
(3.) _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
|
| |
What is the shortest route between any point in Asia and the
continent of South America? Start your measurement in Asia at the
eastern tip of Papua New Guinea at 11S/151E.
(4.) _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
|
| |
What is the shortest route between Australia and South America?
(5.) _________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
|
| |
Of all the routes measured above, which was the shortest?
(6.) __________________________________
|
| |
| In this region, and in regions farther north where the continents
are even closer together, it is very likely that contacts between the
old and new worlds frequently occurred before the time of Columbus.
However, this far northern area was remote, and its few inhabitants had
little contact with the rest of the world. As a result, very little of
the geographical knowledge known to these people reached the large
population and commercial centers to the south.
|
| |
| The wide Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the real and imagined
dangers associated with sailing across these uncharted oceans separated
the civilizations of the old and new worlds for thousands of years. This
separation did not end until the lure of great wealth outweighed the
risks and uncertainties of exploring these unknown waters. |
