Topic 1. Introduction to Cartography

• A map is a representation, usually on a flat surface, as of the features of an area of the Earth or a portion of the heavens, showing them in their respective forms, sizes, and relationships according to some convention of representation.
• Control networks which cover the whole country have been conducted with better accuracy and less stringent technique, with the use of artificial satellites.
• The purpose of a control system is to prevent the accumulation of errors, by connecting detail work to a consistent geometrical system of points, which are accurate enough for the project.
• Physical maps show what the land itself looks like, identifying physical features (land over/used map).
• Distribution maps show where something can be found (living things or non-living things).
• Political maps show us how an area is divided into countries, states, provinces or other units (preserved administrative country).
• Movement maps show us how to get around, such as road maps (there’s mobility involved).
• Examples of physical map includes contour and topographic map.
• Species Distribution Mapping/Modelling or SDM is a method to understand the distribution of species in an area.
• The habitat of rhino’s is called Savanna Biome.
• The subdivision of graphical/political map in a country like China is called Prefecture while States in India.
• Cartography comes from Latin + Greek word “cartographien”
• carta “chart” (latin) and graphein “to write, to draw” (Greek)
• Cartography is the production of maps, including construction of projections, design, compilation, drafting, and reproduction.
• Cartography is the art, technique, or practice of compiling or drawing maps or charts.
• Cartophile is a person with interest on maps.
• Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of mountains, the depths of the ocean bottom, and the steepness of slopes. USGS topographic maps also show many other kinds of geographic features including roads, railroads, rivers, streams, lakes, boundaries, place or feature names, mountains, and much more.
• The first known map was created in 2300 BCE by the Babylonians, living in what is now modern-day Iraq, and was scratched on a clay tablet.
• The Babylonian map shows a representation of the world.
• Most people at the time of the Babylonians thought that the Earth was flat.
• The Greeks described a round Earth.
• By the 500s BCE, Greece was the center of scientific study and learning in the ancient world.
• While the idea of a spherical earth was postulated by previous Greek philosophers, including Pythagoras, Aristotle (384-322 BCE) proved that the earth is spherical with the following evidences: Lunar eclipse makes a circular shadow on the moon, Ships “sink” on the horizon, and Some stars can be seen from some locations of the earth but not from others.
• The circumference of the earth was calculated by Eratosthenes who measured the difference in angle between the solstice sun being vertical at Syene and 7.2 degrees off vertical at Alexandria (or 1/50 of 360 degrees).
• Ptolemy was the most important cartographer during the time of the Roman Empire and he is the one who produced the geographic coordinate system.
• Ptolemy's eight-volume atlas Geographia (Geography) is a prototype of modern mapping.
• In his work, Ptolemy used information first presented by the Greeks, and was the first to come up with what are known as projections.
• Although Ptolemy’s maps were incredible for the time, his maps were very inaccurate.
• Rene Descartes is known as the "Father of Modern Philosophy".
• The ancient maps in the early mapmaking are Babylonian Maps, Egyptian Maps, Greek Maps, Roman Maps, Chinese Maps, Chinese Maps, and Japanese Maps.
• Babylonian “World Map” is a small-scale map of the known world and encircling ocean is a recurring theme.
• The Egyptians used papyrus and wood instead of clay.
• Survey maps were perhaps the most common Egyptian maps and they were used for taxation purposes.
• Anaximander’s World Map is considered to be the first world map drawn to scale.
• Eratosthenes’ World Map is the father of scientific cartography, and first to calculate Earth’s circumference.
• Ptolemy’s Projections is a major cartographic breakthrough.
• Greek and Roman shared the same culture.
• The medium used in Chinese Maps are stones, silk, and paper.
• The Principle of Xenophobia is the reason why the Chinese are isolated.
• The medium that the Japanese used is an Imari Plate.