This boom in map making, or cartography, was very useful. Knowing exactly where coastlines, hills, roads, houses, and boundaries were enabled colonists, generals, and tax collectors to claim land, prepare for invasions, and levy taxes.
Map making became more and more important. Maps of the New World and the Far East were important for raising funds for explorers and colonists. Using maps, people in Europe would mark out and sell huge areas of land in these newly discovered countries. It didn't seem to worry them at all that there were already native populations living in these places, and no doubt these were the real "owners" of the land! (back to top)
The tools used to measure distances for maps
At first, distances were measured by counting how many times a certain sized wheel went round. This was a lot more accurate than just guessing, or pacing it out, but it must have been quite a slow process!
The accuracy of map making improved greatly with the use of the Ramsden theodolite, a giant surveying instrument used to measure vertical and horizontal angles, equipped with telescopic sights to view long distances. It was accurate to within 5 inches over 70 miles. British surveyors mapped the huge country of India over several decades in the1800's with the use of a theodolite. You can still sometimes see surveyors using a theodolite around the streets of Auckland.
Modern surveying instruments have come a long way from the theodolite. Pieces of the Earth that took surveyors years to map on foot are now recorded by cameras high above the Earth in satellites, taking only seconds. (back to top)