Cartography and the Renaissance

Cartography and the Renaissance

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Grade Levels: 6-12

Time Allotment: 50 to 60 minutes

Maine Social Studies Standards: D1, E1

This lesson compares maps made in the Middle Ages to maps made during the Renaissance to illustrate the widespread alterations in European thought. The activity to follow the presentation features fictional journal entries from major mapmakers through history. Students must match the mapmakers with their cartographic creations.

Click on the links below to download resources:


DownloadItem Files

This folder contains images of all items used in this lesson. To view the available items in zoomify, click on the links below:

7335 Image  Ptolemaic Map of the World Portolan Chart of Mediterranean  Renaissance Map of the World by Rosaccio 

238 Image  262 Image  Blaeu Map of the World with Planetary Orbits depicted


DownloadPresentation Files

This folder contains a powerpoint (.ppt) file of the completed presentation, as well as a suggested script in both .pdf and .doc formats.

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PPT Presentation

PDF Suggested Script w/ Images

DOC Editable Script


DownloadActivity Files

This folder contains a .pdf file of the activity accompanying this lesson and any necessary documents and answer keys.

Trouble Downloading?  Click on the thumbnails below to try downloading each file individually:

PDF Lives of Cartographers Pt. 1

PDF Lives of Cartographers Pt. 2

PDF Answer Key


Suggested Reading

Ross, Val. The Road to There: Mapmakers and Their Stories. 2009.

Explore Other Lessons

Intro to Maps  Travel and Transportation  Maps of Portland  Travel and Tourism  Medieval Maps  Maine State History

Projections and Globemaking  Cartography & the Renaissance  Colonization of New England  Colonial South America  Colonial Worldview  Grim Side of Thematic Mapping

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