Maritime history

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Maritime history is a broad thematic element of global history. As an academic subject, it crosses the boundaries of standard disciplines, focusing on understanding mankind's various relationships to the oceans, seas, and major waterways of the globe. Maritime history is the broad overarching subject that includes fishing, whaling, international maritime law, naval history, the history of ships, ship design, shipbuilding, the history of navigation, the history of the various maritime-related sciences (oceanography, cartography, hydrography, etc.), sea exploration, maritime economics and trade, shipping, yachting, seaside resorts, the history of lighthouses and aids to navigation, maritime themes in literature, maritime themes in art, the social history of sailors and sea-related communities.

1 Early Maritime History and Prehistory
- 1.1 Navigation
2 Age of sail
3 Age of steam
4 Recent maritime history
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Early Maritime History and Prehistory

The first boats were dugout canoes, developed independently by various stone age populations, and used for coastal fishing and travel. The earliest seaworthy boats may have been developed as early as 45,000 years ago, according to one hypothesis explaining the habitation of Australia. The Mediterranean was the source of the earliest historically verified seaworthy vessel, the galley, developed before 1000BC, and development of nautical technology supported the expansion of Mediterranean culture. The Greek trireme was the most common ship of the ancient Mediterranean world, employing the steering power of oarsmen. Mediterranean peoples developed lighthouse technology and built large fire-based lighthouses, most notably The Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC (between 285 and 247 BC) on the island of Pharos in Alexandria, Egypt. In ancient China, during the Warring States (481–221 BC), large rectangular-based barge-like ships with layered decks acted as floating fortresses on wide rivers and lakes. During the Han Dynasty (202 BC–220 AD), a ship with a stern-post steering rudder along with masts and sails was innovated, known as the junk in Western terminology. By the 5th century, the Chinese were sailing into the Indian Ocean, beginning with the travels of Faxian. In ancient India and Arabia the lateen-sail ship known as the dhow was used on the waters of the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf. There were also Southeast Asian Seafarers and Polynesians, and the Northern European Vikings, developed oceangoing vessels and depended heavily upon them for travel and population movements prior to 1000 AD. China's ships in the medieval period were particularly massive; multi-mast sailing junks were carrying over 200 people as early as 200 AD.

[edit] Navigation

The Astrolabe, invented in ancient Greece and developed and by Islamic astronomers was the chief tool of Celestial navigation in early maritime history. The magnetic needle compass for navigation was first used in medieval China. It was written of in the Dream Pool Essay (1086 AD) by the author and statesmen Shen Kuo of the Song Dynasty, who was also the first to discover the concept of true north (with magnetic declination towards the North Pole). By at least 1117 AD, the Chinese used a magnetic needle that was submersed in a bowl of water, and would point in the southern cardinal direction. The first use of a magnetized needle for seafaring navigation in Europe was written of by Alexander Neckham, circa 1190 AD. Around 1300 AD, the pivot-needle dry-box compass was found in Europe, its cardinal direction pointed north, similar to the modern-day mariners compass.

[edit] Age of sail

Main article: age of sail

The age of sail mostly coincided with the age of discovery, from the 15th to the 18th century. This period was marked by extensive exploration and colonization efforts on the part of European kingdoms. Slightly prior to the European development of large sailing fleets, the Chinese Treasure ships were a significant development. The Sextant, developed in the 1700s, made more accurate charting of nautical position possible.

[edit] Age of steam

Main article: steamship

While steam technology was first applied to boats in the 1770's, the technology only became relevant to trans-oceanic travel after 1815, the year Pierre Andriel crossed the English Channel aboard the steam ship Élise. From 1815 on, steamships increased significantly in speed and size. Trans-oceanic travel was a particularly important application, with steam powered Ocean liners replacing sailing ships, then culminating in the massive Superliners which included the RMS Titanic.

[edit] Recent maritime history

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In the 1900s, the internal combustion engine and gas turbine came to replace the steam engine in most ship applications. A few ships, notably aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, and Nuclear powered icebreakers make use of Nuclear marine propulsion. Sonar and radio augmented existing navigational technology. An outgrowth of Morse code-based radio transmissions is the modern Global Maritime Distress Safety System.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Scholarly organisations for the study of maritime history

Other

The Institute of Maritime History , a non-profit institute focused on research, preservation and education in maritime history.
The Sketchbooks of Antoine Roux , Peabody Essex Museum’s interactive feature, showcases sketches and watercolor paintings which depict the maritime culture of Marseille France during the 19th century.
Maritime Heritage Network, a non-profit collaboration among organizations focused on the maritime history of Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest.
The Sextant, an online community of maritime history and nautical archaeology.