1. Reasons for Exploration: new navigation methods

2. Introduction
Hi! I’m Miss Holly. Today we’re going to talk about new navigation tools explorers used on the seas during the 16th century.

3. new navigation methods
The explosion of trade opportunities in Europe and the discovery of riches in the New World prompted the development of better navigational tools.

4. new navigation methods
For years mariners determined their latitudinal direction by following the east to west advancement of the sun and by tracking the movement of the stars at night.

5. new navigation methods
When land was out of sight, navigators could only refer to the speed of the ship and the time it took to reach a particular destination to estimate how far east or west they had traveled.

6. new navigation methods
As the voyagers traveled farther distances, they relied on a variety of both new and existing navigational tools to help them reach their destinations safely.

7. new navigation methods
The most popular equipment used by seafaring explorers of the Middle Ages included:

8. new navigation methods
Compass – The compass had been used for centuries to determine direction.

9. new navigation methods
Early versions were simple and not always reliable.

10. new navigation methods
Mariners typically used the compass only when it was cloudy because they did not get readings they could trust. They changed too often.

11. new navigation methods
Astrolabe – The astrolabe was also a common instrument used for many years.

12. new navigation methods
It was used to measure the position of the sun, moon, planets, and stars.

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Navigators measured the angle of a celestial body above the horizon to determine their latitude positioning.

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Cross staff – Mariners used the cross staff to measuring the height of objects above the horizon.

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This information helped them to determine how far north or south of the Equator they were.

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Quadrant – The quadrant was also used to determine positioning north or south of the equator.

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Gathering accurate readings on a moving ship was difficult so many navigators waited until they reached land before using the quadrant.

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Chip board – The chip board measured the speed of the ship.

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The small board, tied to the end of several hundred feet of rope with knots at specific intervals, was thrown overboard.

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Sailors counted the number of knots to determine their speed.

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Hourglass – The hourglass was one of the most commonly used navigational instruments.

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Depending on its size, the hourglass could be made to measure any amount of time.

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Sailors used it to track how far they had traveled or how long they had been on duty.

24. Video Clip

25. In conclusion…
The development of better navigational tools was prompted by the explosion of trade opportunities in Europe and the discovery of riches in the New World.
The new tools included the compass, the astrolabe, the cross staff, the quadrant, the chip board, and the hourglass.

26. Extension activities First read Ghost Ship of Captain Sandovate.
Then complete at least five of the reader’s response prompts.

27. Good bye!
See you next time!

28. References