Breakthroughs in the late 18th century brought about great progress in navigation. Many lands known and unknown remain obscured and uncharted. There came many brave and courageous explorers ready to set out into the infinite ocean, risking their lives in mother nature's hands, to quench their thirst for knowledge. Here are some of those very famous Ancient Explorers of the sea: | By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination |
Christopher Colombus | Christopher Colombus (born between 31 October 1450 and 30 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was an Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer, born in the Republic of Genoa. [1] Christopher Columbus is the explorer who is credited for discovering America. Of course, there were already people living in America at the time who we call Native Americans. There even was a European, Leif Ericsson, who had been to the America's before. However, it was Columbus' voyage that started the exploration and colonization of the Americas. After making his discovery, Columbus was eager to return home to Spain and claim his riches. Only the Pinta and the Nina were able to return to Spain, however, as the Santa Maria wrecked off the coast of Hispaniola. Columbus left 43 men behind on the island to start up an outpost. Upon returning home, Columbus was treated like a hero. He presented some of the things he had found including turkeys, pineapples, and some natives he had captured. The King of Spain was pleased enough to fund future expeditions [2] |
Columbus was not a scholarly man. Yet he studied books, made hundreds of marginal notations in them and came out with ideas about the world that were characteristically simple and strong and sometimes wrong, the kind of ideas that the self-educated person gains from independent reading and clings to in defiance of what anyone else tries to tell him. He died when he was 55, in 1506, only two years after his last trip to the New World.[3] |
Captain James cook
James Cook was a British navigator and explorer who sailed and mapped much of the South Pacific. James Cook was born on October 27, 1728 in Marton, England. His father was a farmer, but as James grew older he began to feel the lure of the sea. At around the age of 18 he took an apprenticeship as a merchant seaman. Although he did well and was advancing in the merchant navy, Cook decided to enlist in the Royal Navy at the start of the Seven Years War. It was during the Seven Years War that James became a master at map making. His ability at surveying, navigating, and creating large accurate maps was noticed by those high up in the Navy.
Captain Cook introduced some rigid and innovative rules in order to keep his crew healthy and safe. He required his men to bathe every day, the ship to be kept very clean, and the bedding to be aired twice a week. He also brought lots of fresh fruit to keep his men from getting scurvy. These rules and planning helped his men to stay healthy throughout the long voyages ahead.
Cook's final expedition lasted from 1776 to 1779. The goal of this journey was to find a northwest passage across North America to Asia. He searched the coast of Alaska to no avail. He did find the Hawaiian Islands, however (they were named the Sandwich Islands at the time).
At first Captain Cook and his men got along well with the natives of the Hawaiian Islands. However, things went bad when the natives stole a sailboat. Cook tried to kidnap the chief to hold him as ransom for the boat. In the attempt a fight broke out and he was killed by the natives [4]
The following is a flash file depicting the history of ancient navigation and Instruments used before and during cook's period:
Captain Cook introduced some rigid and innovative rules in order to keep his crew healthy and safe. He required his men to bathe every day, the ship to be kept very clean, and the bedding to be aired twice a week. He also brought lots of fresh fruit to keep his men from getting scurvy. These rules and planning helped his men to stay healthy throughout the long voyages ahead.
Cook's final expedition lasted from 1776 to 1779. The goal of this journey was to find a northwest passage across North America to Asia. He searched the coast of Alaska to no avail. He did find the Hawaiian Islands, however (they were named the Sandwich Islands at the time).
At first Captain Cook and his men got along well with the natives of the Hawaiian Islands. However, things went bad when the natives stole a sailboat. Cook tried to kidnap the chief to hold him as ransom for the boat. In the attempt a fight broke out and he was killed by the natives [4]
The following is a flash file depicting the history of ancient navigation and Instruments used before and during cook's period:
There are many more valiant explorers such as Vasco de Gama, Ferdinand Magellan, Edmund Hillary, Sir Francis Drake, Henry Hudsun etc... We can see many of them in our future posts...
References
[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus
[2] www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/christopher_columbus.php
[3] www.softschools.com/facts/holidays/columbus_day_facts/152/
[4] www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/captain_james_cook.php
Flash File Courtesy: BBC
[2] www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/christopher_columbus.php
[3] www.softschools.com/facts/holidays/columbus_day_facts/152/
[4] www.ducksters.com/biography/explorers/captain_james_cook.php
Flash File Courtesy: BBC