My name is Jack Zhao. The date is May 23, 2014. When you have read this blog, I would have already escaped to the future in a high tech time machine. You see, I am a time traveling merchant collecting and selling valuable items that have affected Big Era Five in some shape or form― particularly cultural exchange, and the essential questions and key themes behind it and how they relate to this era. I must hurry and explain to you why I have collected and analyzed one particular item and how it impacted society. The magnetic compass, a navigating relic that has affected Big Era Five through: science and technology, humans and humans, economic networks of exchange, and civilizations to therefore affect cultural exchange. I must hurry and tell you the rest before my time machine leaves me― time is running out.
By the 1400s, many sailors began using compasses to therefore navigate through the sea for more accurate exploration. The lives of many sailors were put on this simple needle in order to get to get to their destinations. The Chinese were the ones who had first invented these compasses in about 100 AD (science and technology) and were merely magnetic pieces layered on straw found in bowls of water. Thus, because of this, the Europeans perfected the magnetic compass during the renaissance to give the most accurate navigation the world has ever seen in Big Era Five. In Europe, the magnetic compass appears in Amalfi, Italy around the early fourteenth century. And due to the study of magnetism during the renaissance, they mastered the tech of the magnetic compass far more intensely than the Chinese.
The reason why this magnetic compass relates to Big Era Five is primarily due to the cultural exchange behind it. The compass is what promotes trade and economic networks. The reason for this is due to the great magnitude of help it provides to sailors to possibly get to their destinations of trade. An example of this is the history of the seas dangers, often with many disastrous consequences. Even when close to land, sailors become disoriented in harsh weathers. For ancient Greek and Roman sailors, conditions like this can limit sailing seasons that promote this trade and interactions with other humans (therefore no cultural exchange could occur). The roman writer Publius Flavius Vegetius wrote that sailing in June to September was reasonably safe, but sailing at other times was rather risky. He called this time “mare clausum,” or when “the seas are closed.” However, because of this European magnetic compass, “No longer completely dependent on landmarks, the sailor may then find his position relative to Earth’s magnetic field” (The Institute). The reason why trade stimulates cultural exchange is because trades from two different civilizations learn, cooperate, and share different ideas. This then ties into the essential question human and human interactions. Because with trade, humans interact together to share their cultural backgrounds through their resources they’re exchanging. Thus, the reason why the magnetic compass relates to Big Era five is cultural exchange with essential questions and key themes providing background.
The reason why this magnetic compass relates to Big Era Five is primarily due to the cultural exchange behind it. The compass is what promotes trade and economic networks. The reason for this is due to the great magnitude of help it provides to sailors to possibly get to their destinations of trade. An example of this is the history of the seas dangers, often with many disastrous consequences. Even when close to land, sailors become disoriented in harsh weathers. For ancient Greek and Roman sailors, conditions like this can limit sailing seasons that promote this trade and interactions with other humans (therefore no cultural exchange could occur). The roman writer Publius Flavius Vegetius wrote that sailing in June to September was reasonably safe, but sailing at other times was rather risky. He called this time “mare clausum,” or when “the seas are closed.” However, because of this European magnetic compass, “No longer completely dependent on landmarks, the sailor may then find his position relative to Earth’s magnetic field” (The Institute). The reason why trade stimulates cultural exchange is because trades from two different civilizations learn, cooperate, and share different ideas. This then ties into the essential question human and human interactions. Because with trade, humans interact together to share their cultural backgrounds through their resources they’re exchanging. Thus, the reason why the magnetic compass relates to Big Era five is cultural exchange with essential questions and key themes providing background.
The time is near where I must go. However, I must tell you one least reason why I had chosen this object to take to the future. The object itself has impacted society highly and that’s why I believe it to be valuable. It is impact today because it allowed ships to travel very far and be able to find their way back. Until it was invented, sea travel was within the sleight of hand. This impacts society because humans are now able to culturally exchange with people beyond their reach. Thus created new religious idles, technological benefactors, and the creation of new civilizations. The compass has affected Big Era Five, which brings us to the present. Now I must go back to the future.
Web Sources
"Changes in Europe." Changes in Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://www.watertown.k12.ma.us/cunniff/americanhistorycentral/03ageofexploration/Chanes_in_Euro.html>.
"Project: Time Machine." Project: Time Machine. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://everettblog.tumblr.com/>.
"Search Results - El Mundo Tarvin." Search Results - El Mundo Tarvin. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://misstarvin.wikifoundry.com/page/Chinese%2BInventions%21>.
"A History of the Magnetic Compass." - IEEE. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. <http://theinstitute.ieee.org/technology-focus/technology-history/a-history-of-the-magnetic-compass>.
"The Courage of a Soldier - Quote by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus." Best Quotes of the Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://bqotd.com/publius-flavius-vegetius-renatus/the-courage-of-a-soldier-2/>.
"Main Page." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 May 2014. Web. 20 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>.
"Project: Time Machine." Project: Time Machine. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://everettblog.tumblr.com/>.
"Search Results - El Mundo Tarvin." Search Results - El Mundo Tarvin. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://misstarvin.wikifoundry.com/page/Chinese%2BInventions%21>.
"A History of the Magnetic Compass." - IEEE. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. <http://theinstitute.ieee.org/technology-focus/technology-history/a-history-of-the-magnetic-compass>.
"The Courage of a Soldier - Quote by Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus." Best Quotes of the Day. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. <http://bqotd.com/publius-flavius-vegetius-renatus/the-courage-of-a-soldier-2/>.
"Main Page." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 20 May 2014. Web. 20 May 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>.