Article ID: CBB001201687

Cartography as a Tool of Colonization: Sir Humphrey Gilbert's 1583 Voyage to North America (2014)

unapi

An analysis of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's 1583 expedition to North America, which was England's first attempt at colonization beyond Britain, shows that the nation's earliest expansionists perceived the significance of maps in supporting colonization. Gilbert recruited several specialists, including John Dee and Richard Hakluyt, who expended considerable time and resources conducting research for their maps and drawing up plans to survey the colony. A thorough examination of Gilbert's sea chart and terrestrial maps clarifies how his circle used them to promote the expedition, to guide it to North America, and to assert their control over the territory. Scholars often depict early modern English colonizers as having little interest in cartographic materials, but Gilbert and his supporters proved that maps served a number of vital functions in preparing and executing a colonizing expedition.

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Authors & Contributors
Leitão, Henrique
Johnson, Alexander
José María Moreno Madrid
Berthelette, Scott
Probasco, Nathan J.
Wortham, Christopher
Concepts
Maps; atlases
Cartography
Travel; exploration
Great Britain, colonies
Nautical charts
Geography
Time Periods
18th century
19th century
17th century
16th century
Renaissance
Early modern
Places
North America
United States
Europe
Great Britain
Australia
India
Institutions
Dutch East India Company
British East India Company
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