World Geography
Maps & Globes
Flattening a Round Object:
How to Turn a Globe into a Map
Maps have been a part of human history for quite sometime. Some historians estimate that human beings have been mapping out their surroundings for the last 8,000 years! The earliest known map that is still in existence was created in the 7th century B.C.E. The map still exists, etched onto a wall in the ancient city of Catal in Turkey. Most Americans believe that people thought the world was flat until Christopher Columbus sailed to the Americas. However, even before Christopher Columbus made his famous (or infamous) journey in 1492, most educated people in the world understood that the earth was round. In fact, many ancient Greek scholars, such as Pythagoras, Plato and Aristotle, had theorized that the earth was round back in the 3rd, 4th and 5th centuries B.C.E.
One of the biggest problems that explorers have faced throughout history has been how to accurately portray our round earth on flat surface. Each time a (map maker) would create a new map, it would distort (change/alter) one of the properties of the globe. For example, Gerard, a cartographer who lived in the 1500s created a map that became known as the Mercator Map. The map distorts all of the properties, but the most noticeable are size and shape. In order to show the round earth on a flat surface, Mercator enlarged the landmasses near the north and south poles and split up Antarctica.
Here are some examples of different map projections. Map projections are the different ways that cartographers have tried to show the round earth on a flat surface without distorting too many of the properties (size, shape, distance, direction).
Mercator Projection
Goode’s Projection
Plane Projection
Cartographer’s Challenge:
In small groups you will try to create a flat map out of a round globe. You must try hard not to distort any of the four properties (size, shape, distance, direction). You must follow the rules listed below
Rules of the Challenge
1. All of the land masses and bodies of water must be facing upward.
2. The map should be perfectly flat (no bumps in the pieces of the globe)
3. If you decide to use scissors, you must have Mr. Higgins make the first incision (cut)
4. Cutting or stretching your map will result in some distortion of size, shape, distance and/or direction.
5. Your map should be laid out flat on the desk that Mr. Higgins assigns.
6. Call Mr. Higgins over when you think you are finished.
Think About the Following As You Work …
1. Which of the four properties did you distort on your map? Give a specific example from your map (i.e. We distorted shape because we cut Asia into two parts)
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2. Why do cartographers always distort at least one of the four properties when making a flat map out of a round globe?
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