Exploration of Historical Cartography

The video explores the history of mapmaking from the Middle Ages to the 17th century, highlighting the blend of functional maps and cosmographies. It discusses the use of mythical creatures on maps, the contributions of Islamic and European cartographers, and the errors made in early world maps. The video also touches on Chinese cartography and the persistence of mythical elements in maps despite growing geographical knowledge.

What phrase was used by medieval European mapmakers to denote unknown territories?

• Terra incognita

• Here be dragons

• Land of the unknown

• Mystic lands

What were cosmographies primarily concerned with?

• Political boundaries

• Topography and water sources

• The Earth's position in the cosmos

• Trade routes and settlements

What was a common feature of maps from the Middle Ages to the mid-17th century?

• Focus on political boundaries

• Inclusion of mythical creatures

• Accurate depiction of the Americas

• Detailed topographical features

Which Islamic mapmaker created the 'Tabula Rogeriana'?

• Ibn Hawqal

• Al-Biruni

• Al-Idrisi

• Al-Khwarizmi

What was the 'Da Ming Hunyi Tu' known for?

• Mapping the North Pole

• Accurately portraying sub-Saharan Africa

• Showing the Island of California

• Depicting the Americas

Which cartographer mapped the Americas as a thin sliver of land?

• Gerardus Mercator

• Ibn Hawqal

• Martin Waldseemuller

• Peter Heylin

What did Gerardus Mercator speculate about the North Pole?

• It was an island

• It was a flat land

• It was surrounded by a whirlpool

• It was a land of dragons

What was the 'Rupes Nigra' according to Mercator?

• A giant magnetic rock

• A mythical island

• A sea monster

• A lost city

Which mythical land was Australia grouped with by Peter Heylin?

• Utopia

• El Dorado

• Shangri-La

• Atlantis

What was the impact of European mapmaking on indigenous cultures?

• Eradication of many cultures

• Preservation of cultures

• Integration into European society

• Unchanged by European maps