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Maps have 'north' at the top, but it could've been different (1 Viewer)

Rogue Valley

Rogue Valley

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Maps have 'north' at the top, but it could've been different

It is only within the last few hundred years that north has been consistently at the top....



Africa-turning-the-world-upside-down-650-x-437.jpg
 
Many old maps have no consistent point of orientation. The idea of a consistent orientation is itself relatively modern and is probably equally due to magnetic north and Polaris by those who had no other landmarks.
 
It really doesn't matter. If I don't like the way a map or chart looks, I just turn it around until I'm satisfied. I'm in the same place no matter what, and where I'm going remains the same as well. As a point of reference, it might be helpful to adhere to orthodox nomenclature with the north on top. Any notations on maps and charts will likely be so oriented. This can be a big deal if you happen to be navigating in certain waters, so it's important to not miss things recorded on the charts. For example, if you happen to be sailing in the northeastern Chesapeake, it would be good to know where Aberdeen Proving Grounds is. It's not a geographic feature, but drifting into the restricted area surrounding it might be unpleasant.
 
Yes, north is normally at the top of the map. But, not always. I saw a tourist looking at a map and she had it upside down. I told her and she pointed north. I pointed to the legend at the bottom. The top of the map was South. Oops.

I just turned on Google maps on my phone and guess what? The top of the map was east because that was the way I was facing. I could change the orientation to always have north at the top.
 
I once knew a lady that had to turn a road map so that it was facing the direction she was facing. Then, turning left was left and turning right was right. After she made the turn, she'd re-orient the road map accordingly.
 
radcen said:
I once knew a lady that had to turn a road map so that it was facing the direction she was facing. Then, turning left was left and turning right was right. After she made the turn, she'd re-orient the road map accordingly.
Click to expand...

I tried doing that with a smart phone...the stupid thing corrected itself though. :)
 
Simpleχity;1066000148 said:
Maps have 'north' at the top, but it could've been different

It is only within the last few hundred years that north has been consistently at the top....



Africa-turning-the-world-upside-down-650-x-437.jpg
Click to expand...

Absolute north or even magnetic north are fairly modern, ancient people used either the northern star or used the direction of the sun to determine north.


The odd thing is despite not having a true sense of north, ancient maps were actually extremely accurate, some from ancient times to the middle ages included antarctica, and others looked almost identical to modern maps, which is astounding since they had no satellites or space travel, and had to map them by following coastlines.
 
radcen said:
I once knew a lady that had to turn a road map so that it was facing the direction she was facing. Then, turning left was left and turning right was right. After she made the turn, she'd re-orient the road map accordingly.
Click to expand...

At least she was using one, us Men don't need no stinking maps, or even directions, we just drive around until we find our way to where we are going...........
 
radcen said:
I once knew a lady that had to turn a road map so that it was facing the direction she was facing. Then, turning left was left and turning right was right. After she made the turn, she'd re-orient the road map accordingly.
Click to expand...
The military teaches the same way for land nav. It actually prevents a large number of mistakes. You would not believe the number of folks I have seen not do that and take of in the wrong direction.
 
calamity said:
Most of the land and people are in the North. There is only one continent that is 100% in the Southern Hemisphere....and no one even lives there.

Why should it not be on top?
Click to expand...

A few million Australians will be disappointed to hear it.
But that's a good point. Probably 75% of the world lives in the Northern Hemisphere. More, maybe.
 
humbolt said:
It really doesn't matter. If I don't like the way a map or chart looks, I just turn it around until I'm satisfied. I'm in the same place no matter what, and where I'm going remains the same as well. As a point of reference, it might be helpful to adhere to orthodox nomenclature with the north on top. Any notations on maps and charts will likely be so oriented. This can be a big deal if you happen to be navigating in certain waters, so it's important to not miss things recorded on the charts. For example, if you happen to be sailing in the northeastern Chesapeake, it would be good to know where Aberdeen Proving Grounds is. It's not a geographic feature, but drifting into the restricted area surrounding it might be unpleasant.
Click to expand...


Are talking about Swan Creek?
 
Grand Mal said:
A few million Australians will be disappointed to hear it.
Click to expand...
I was referring to Antarctica. Is Australia officially a continent? I thought it was the world's largest island.

Edit: I guess there are two continents South of the Equator
Australia: Island or Continent?

But that's a good point. Probably 75% of the world lives in the Northern Hemisphere. More, maybe.
Click to expand...
Years back, I was surprised to learn that so much of South America and Africa are actually North of the equator.

Since Asia is so large and populous. I'd say over 75% of the global pop is North of the Equator for sure.

Edit: Actually almost 90%
Small Business School, Inc. - Population of the Southern Hemisphere
 
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calamity said:
Most of the land and people are in the North. There is only one continent that is 100% in the Southern Hemisphere....and no one even lives there.

Why should it not be on top?
Click to expand...

It has a similar population to Texas.
 
Carjosse said:
I thought you were talking about Australia, a continent entirely in the Southern Hemisphere.
Click to expand...

Yeah I see that. As mentioned above, I thought it was the world's largest island.
 
Simpleχity;1066000148 said:
Maps have 'north' at the top, but it could've been different

It is only within the last few hundred years that north has been consistently at the top....



Africa-turning-the-world-upside-down-650-x-437.jpg
Click to expand...

Having spent an absurd amount of time studying old maps to write an historical series I've come to find cartography to be interesting.

That article was quite fascinating up until this part:

Yet is it time to start embracing a different view of the planet from the one we are used to? Perhaps, because evidence from psychology suggests that our north-up culture might be polluting the way we think of what is valuable in the world.

...

The good news is that in Meier’s experiments the relationship between ‘north’ and ‘good’ was eliminated by one simple thing – turning the map upside down. So perhaps the world might get a little fairer if we just took a look at it another way up now and again. South-up maps are easily available online. It is also something that Mortlock is very much in favour of: “As an Australian, I think it should be done more often,” he says.
Click to expand...

Ah . . . okay. I live in the Southern US. Even if this was somehow called the North - it wouldn't change people's view of who lives here (slow dumb rednecks) . . . and in part, I dare say, some of that is based on truth. lol
 
Carjosse said:
Well to be fair there is no strict official definition of continent.
Click to expand...

I noticed that while trying to determine if Australia was a continent or not. Officially, strictly scientifically speaking, Europe/Asia/Africa are one continent. Although Africa is definitely tearing away, rifting. So, soon (few million years from now) it will be an official continent. But, Europe is not even close.

Correction: Africa is still moving North. So, it will continue to crash into Europe and lift the Alps while is spins away from the middle East.

It's all so confusing.
 
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