How did European maps change after the Age of Exploration?

European maps changed dramatically after the Age of Exploration, becoming more accurate and detailed, particularly regarding the New World.

The Age of Exploration, spanning the 15th to the 17th centuries, was a period of extensive overseas exploration led by European states. This era of discovery had a profound impact on the way the world was perceived and represented on maps. Prior to this period, European maps were largely Eurocentric, with limited and often inaccurate information about regions beyond Europe.

The voyages of explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Ferdinand Magellan led to the discovery of new lands, including the Americas, parts of Africa, and the sea route to India. These discoveries necessitated the creation of new maps that included these territories. The New World, as the Americas came to be known, was a significant addition to European maps. The shape and size of the continents were initially speculative and often inaccurate, but they became more precise as more explorers charted these lands.

The Age of Exploration also saw advancements in cartography, the science of map-making. The use of more sophisticated navigational tools, such as the astrolabe and the compass, allowed for more accurate measurements of latitude and longitude. This led to the creation of more detailed and accurate maps. The Ptolemaic system, which had dominated European cartography, was gradually replaced by more accurate representations of the world.

The Mercator projection, developed by Gerardus Mercator in the 16th century, became a standard for nautical maps due to its ability to represent lines of constant course. However, it distorted the size of lands near the poles, making them appear larger than they actually are. This is why, even today, Greenland appears larger than Africa on many maps, despite being significantly smaller in reality.

In conclusion, the Age of Exploration led to a significant transformation in European maps. They became more accurate and detailed, reflecting the new knowledge gained from explorations. These changes not only represented a shift in geographical understanding but also signified Europe's growing influence and interest in the wider world.