HIST 118: Introduction to the History of Science - Historical Maps (HC)

                                                                       A group of giants and a sea monster (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

 Primary source texts dealing with cartography, exploration and geography during the early modern periods are available in a variety of different places and formats.

1) There are online collections available for such texts.  Haverford has access to Early English Books Online (EEBO) (see  below). Other primary source collections like Gallica from France's Bibliothèque nationale are open access on the Web.

2) Still other sources are available in modern printed editions and translations.  Like these titles available in the Tripod catalog:

The navigator: The log of John Anderson, VOC pilot-major, 1640-1643.  Published 2010.  [Chronicles a voyage to the East Indies]       

 

  Pieter van den Broecke's journal of voyages to Cape Verde, Guinea and Angola, 1605-1612.  Published 2000.       

 The map trade in the late eighteenth century: Letters to the London map sellers Jefferys & Faden.   Published 2000.       

While some primary source books and other kinds of materials have been digitized, there are great numbers which exist only in print or manuscript, particularly when it comes to documents and records which are often in one unique copy.  Visiting a rare book library will give you access to additional source material.

Use the databases below to search for primary source material in special collection libraries.