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Map of the Gulf Coast from Florida to Mexico
Summary
Depths shown by soundings.
Covers the Gulf Coast extending from St. Luis de Tampico to Arecifo showing coastal features, rivers, and streams.
Pen-and-ink and watercolor.
Attributed to Joan Vinckeboons by comparison with his other Dutch maps in Henry Harrisse collection.
Described in Terrae incognitae, v. xvi, 1984. Richard W. Stephenson's The Henry Harrisse collection ... , p. 40; the second volume has binder's title "Manuscript maps Atlantic Coast and California drawn by Joan Vingboons in 1639."
LC Luso-Hispanic world, 82
Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as a raster image.
Copy annotated in pencil in upper right margin.
In the 17th century, maps took a huge leap forward. Mathematical and astronomical knowledge necessary to make accurate measurements had evolved. English mathematicians had perfected triangulation: navigation and surveying by right-angled triangles. Triangulation allowed navigators to set accurate courses and produced accurate land surveys. Seamen learned to correct their compasses for declination and had determined the existence of annual compass variation. Latitude determination was greatly improved with the John Davis quadrant. The measurement of distance sailed at sea was improved by another English invention, the common log. Longitudinal distance between Europe and Québec was determined by solar and lunar eclipses by the Jesuit Bressani in the 1640s and by Jean Deshayes in 1686. With accurate surveys in Europe, the grid of the modern map began to take shape.
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