Question

What are the new developments helping European navigation in the fifteenth century?

Answer 1

The existence of European people came to light to the Caribbean and the South Americans only when they started navigating across the Atlantic Sea. Several innovations and developments of the period facilitated these long voyages. First among them was the extensive use of the magnetic compass during the 15th century. This instrument helped the sailors in finding directions in the middle of the ocean. Second important development was the construction of large ships. These ships helped in easy carriage of huge cargos and instruments. These cargos and instruments, in turn, were used to protect the sailors from the attacks by the enemy ships. The third important development was the widespread circulation of travel literature and books on cosmography that further created interest to venture the sea. Ptolemy’s ‘Geography’ became available in 1478 and was widely read. He had arranged the regions of the world in terms of latitudes and longitudes. He had also suggested that the world was spherical. Such works indeed helped sailors to tread the unknown sea paths.