Role of the Magnetic Compass - Term Paper Example

Impact of the magnetic compass: Introduction: The magnetic compass played a major role in influencing the culture of individuals all over the world,culture was diffused through the goods imported and exported, settlement and travel, the compass continue to influenced lives today. The compass made sea voyage safer and quicker and this increased travel all over the world. The social and economic impact of the magnetic compass is associated with the impact of trade among nations that was stimulated by better navigation using the compass. There are also some unintended consequences of the magnetic compass discussed in this paper. History: According to Discovery channel (2009) the magnetic compass is said to have originated from China in 221 to 206 BC during the Qin dynasty, at first lodestone which is a natural magnetic was used in the construct a fortune teller board, however it was noticed that the lodestone pointed at one direction, this led to the invention of the first compass that made on a square board, the pointer of the compass was a spoon shaped lodestone and 24 cardinal points were marked on the board. Prior to the discovery of the magnetic compass sea voyage navigation depended on the outer space bodies and the sun, the compass is said to have traveled to the middle east and then to Europe while it was still possible that there was independent discovery of the compass in Europe, it is evident that the compass arrived in Europe in the 12th Century AD. The magnetic compass was improved in 8th century AD it was discovered that by rubbing a needle on lodestone the needle would point in one direction; this led to an improvement in the compass whereby the compass was now made by floating the needle on water to point direction. However the needle would loss its magnetism and therefore sailors carried the lodestone to magnetize the needle in case the needle's magnetism weakened. After the discovery of the needle pointer compass these devices were used as navigation aids in ships, Discovery channel (2009) states that Zheng He was the first person to have made sea voyages using the magnetic compass in the period 1405 to 1413 where he made seven voyages using aided by the compass to navigate.. Economic impact: The discovery of the magnetic compass affected the life of individuals' particularly economic activities that involved sea voyages. According to Lane(1963)the compass invention stimulated trade whereby there was an increase in the number of commercial sea voyages and also the possibility of navigation in all the months of the year. Before the invention of the magnetic compass sailors depended on the sun and other outer space bodies to navigate, this means that it was relatively impossible to locate direction during the winter months and when it was dark, foggy and rainy. However sailors would know directions by observing land marks and therefore traveled near the sight of land. Lane (1963) discuses the economic impact of the magnetic compass invention, one of notable impact of the invention is that Mediterranean sailors traveled in the months of October and April, the compass led to an increase in sea travel months and voyages were possible for the months February to December. This shows that there was an increase in the number of travels in seas and this possibly had an impact on the economy, one of the impact is that there was increased trade across nations, another impact is that there was an increase employment whereby increased traveled meant that employment increased as a result of the increase in the months ships could travel. Lane (1963) points out that the number of trips a ship could make doubled, the magnetic compass reduced risks of travel and also quickened the speed at which ships took to travel from one point to another, as a result trade was enhanced and crew members were more likely to be employed for a longer period of time. The compass was also used in the mining industry, the compass in this industry was used to guide miners through the underground tunnels constructed, and this resulted into a more improved safety in the mining industry improving economic activities. The magnetic compass was also used for mining, the compass aided in navigation in underground mining tunnels. This stimulated economic activities whereby miners were able to navigate with ease and also mining was made easier, the compass also influenced mining whereby it was possible to travel and undertake mining in other regions. As a result this increased employment and also increased the amount of products mined. Social impacts: As trade was enhanced and travel by sea was made easier it was evident that there were some social impact, Aczel (2002) states that one of the most notable impact is that there was enhanced import and export of goods and this meant that these products changed people's way of life, there was diffusion of culture whereby individuals adopted technologies from all over the world, one notable impact is enhanced travel that resulted into more commercial activities at sea. Lane(1963) states that the Chinese had a notion that they had all the things they needed in that they had the knowledge and all the products they needed, they did not accept any products from the outside world, there was an increase competition to gain power and power was only to be gained by increasing wealth and this led to increased navigation, this changed Chinese culture whereby individuals were not allowed to travel abroad and in order to increase wealth they allowed navigation. Aczel (2002) states that there was an increase in voyages aimed at discovering the world, these parts of the world were not linked such as Africa, sea voyages into Africa aided by the magnetic compass led to increased trade which led to a change in culture in the African regions, this was alter to influence colonization due to the already discovered travel channels. According to Gurney (2004) enhanced navigation at sea influenced trade and also influenced explorers, later this influenced the spread of religion by missionaries across the world and this led to transformation of culture, individuals all over the world were transformed into various religions. Trade also had an impact in that it led to trading ports and this led to growth of towns and settlements abroad, there was also increased learning of foreign languages that enhanced communication. The magnetic compass was also use by Roman churches whereby in the construction of these churches the compass was used to locate the direction in that these churches were rotated to face one direction. Therefore the compass had an impact on culture whereby building activities were guided by the compass. Unintended consequences: Strong competition among nations in 1400AD to gain power influenced the need to travel to Africa, the Portuguese were among the first to discover Africa where they extracted gold and spices to enrich themselves, navigation of these ships was aided by the magnetic compass which influenced this trade into the unlinked parts of the world, one of the unintended consequence was slave trade, improved navigation enabled slave trade which was as a result of exploration and safe and fast travel aided by the magnetic compass. The compass is also associated with colonization, easy travel by ship enabled explorers to draw maps and this influenced nations to settle in resource rich countries, therefore the magnetic compass enabled safe and fast travel which as a result enabled nations to settle in foreign countries and therefore colonization. The compass also influenced wars among nations, easy navigation enabled fast travel by war ships and this influenced the occurrence of wars among nations, the compass was not only used in war by ships but also by air crafts and land attacks. The magnetic compass is still used today by aircrafts, soldiers and ships for easy navigation and this has resulted into unintended consequences. Information flow: Due to enhanced trade and the travel of ships throughout the year information flow was also enhanced. Aczel (2002) states that information flow was improved whereby sailors carried information regarding various parts of the world, sea voyages into Africa by the Portuguese influenced information flow regarding the available resources in Africa, these later influenced explorers who explored Africa drawing maps and naming geographical features. Time and space: The technology transcends both time and space. It enabled individuals in the past to go beyond their limits, example the discovery of lodestone led to the discovery of other unintended purposes, the magnetic compass led to the discovery of other parts of the world, enabled individuals to navigate the sea in the winter, enhanced trade and travel in other parts of the world. Conclusion: From the above discussion it is evident that the magnetic compass influenced economic activities by enhancing trade and improving employment. It is also evident that easy navigation at sea increased the number of sea travels throughout the years by enabling safer travel in the winter season. Improved navigation also resulted into the discovery of other regions that were rich in gold and spices. The unintended purposes include slavery, colonization and wars influenced by easy and fast navigation of ships. Reference: Alan Gurney (2004) The Compass: A Story of Exploration and Innovation. London: Norton publishers. Amir Aczel (2002) The riddle of the compass: the invention that changed the world. New York: McGraw Hill Press. Discovery channel (2009) Invention and discovery: the compass, retrieved26th, from http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/ancient_china/inventions/index.shtml Frederic Lane (1963) The Economic Meaning of the invention of the compass. The American Historical Review, Volume 68, (3). Page 605 to 617 Read More