The Caravel and the Impact of New Technologies on Transportation Systems

Posted on by

A Caravel

Transportation systems have evolved since ancient time. This continual transformation of the ways in which humans travel and transport goods is often closely tied to technological advances in the field of transportation. In many ways, the culture of a civilization is heavily influenced by the transportation technologies available to it. However, the relationship goes the other way as well. The transportation technologies present in a society are also often determined by the culture of that society.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, an iconic ship known as the Caravel largely dominated the sea-faring industries of Southwestern Europe. Although the exact origin of this ship is still debated, it had been used as an offshore fishing vessel by the peoples of the Iberian Peninsula since at least the 1200’s. The ship featured a strong Moorish influence, and its design, at least in part, may have been passed from the Islamic body of knowledge to the Western Christian societies of Spain and Portugal. This is quite possible because, as one author points out (see links below), Medieval Islamic society contributed many advances to the fields of geography, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine. These important theoretical discoveries would later contribute to the success of European seafaring by forming the foundation of cutting-edge navigational techniques and other technologies.

The Caravel was a relatively small ship, especially by modern standards. The bottom of the ship protruded below the surface of the water by only a small distance, making it an extremely maneuverable watercraft. For much of its life, the Caravel featured triangular “lateen” sails that, combined with its eminent maneuverability, allowed it to sail into the wind using a zigzagging technique known as “beating to windward.” The Spanish and Portuguese soon recognized the potential of this ship, and transformed it from a simple offshore fishing vessel to the backbone of the European Age of Exploration. With the addition of square sails (to provide increased power when sailing with the wind) and other minor changes, the Caravel soon became the ship of choice for many explorers. It has been suggested that two of Columbus’s ships, the Niña and the Pinta, were Caravels optimized for transatlantic exploration.

Clearly, the Caravel revolutionized European transportation. This technology made it possible for European explorers, fishermen, and merchants to “expand their horizons,” by providing the ability to travel further, faster. One could argue that it played a major role in the rapid colonization of the New World.

However, the inverse is also true. To a large extent, the success of the Caravel was due to navigational techniques brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors, combined with the European desire for political, economic, religious, and scientific expansion.

This dichotomy holds true for many transportation-related technologies. Railroads are built to service existing towns, but the route itself often determines the development of future towns. Military conflict has served as a catalyst for the development of many advances in aviation technology that have later spilled over into the public sector. It is clear that a society’s culture and its transportation technologies are very much linked. Engineers must keep this in mind when developing new technologies for transportation systems. When designing part of a transportation system, it is important both to take inspiration from society and to recognize the changes that that technology will have upon society.

 

———————————————————————————————————————

 

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/01George/caravela/htmls/Caravel%20History.htm

http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/01George/index.htm

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/page/c/caravel.shtml

 

 

19,951 thoughts on “The Caravel and the Impact of New Technologies on Transportation Systems”

  6. KEY4D Agen Slot Online Terbaik Dunia perjudian online terus berkembang pesat, dan semakin banyak pemain yang mencari pengalaman seru di berbagai situs slot online. Salah satu nama yang telah mencuri perhatian dalam industri ini adalah KEY4D. Dalam artikel ini, kita akan menjelajahi mengapa KEY4D dianggap sebagai salah satu agen slot online terbaik.

    Reply ↓

  9. Our user-friendly, free online image converter provides you with the flexibility to modify the format of your image files easily. With our tool, you can convert images from BMP, GIF, HEIC, ICO, JPE, JPEG, PNG, PSD, SVG, TIFF, and WEBP formats to a variety of other formats including AI, BMP, GIF, HEIC, ICO, JPEG, PDF, PNG, PSD, SVG, TIFF, and WEBP.JPG to PNG

    Reply ↓

  12. Hi, I have perused the majority of your posts. This post is likely where I got the most helpful data for my examination. Gratitude for posting, perhaps we can see more on this. Are you mindful of some other sites regarding this matter. server kamboja

    Reply ↓

  14. Çocuklarınızın dünyayı keşfetmeye başladığı o önemli anları birlikte paylaşmak ve desteklemek için buradayız.
    Tarsus Şirinler Kreş ve Gündüz Bakımevi, her çocuğun potansiyelini keşfetmesine yardımcı olan bir öğrenme macerasının başlangıcıdır.
    Tarsus Kreş

    Reply ↓

  16. “This article on the Caravel’s impact on transportation is eye-opening. It beautifully connects the past with modern technology, highlighting the ongoing evolution of transportation systems. Kudos to the author for this insightful perspective!”

    Reply ↓

  20. brillant piece of information, I had come to know about your web-page from my friend hardkik, chennai,i have read atleast 9 posts of yours by now, and let me tell you, your webpage gives the best and the most interesting information. This is just the kind of information that i had been looking for, i’m already your rss reader now and i would regularly watch out for the new posts, once again hats off to you! Thanx a million once again, Regards, Flats for sale in kollur

    Reply ↓

  22. In recent years, the Test Toefl Online has become available online, offering test-takers greater flexibility and convenience. This transition to an online format has brought forth several advantages, making it a viable option for those looking to prove their English proficiency.

    Reply ↓

  38. Doğayı korumak üzerine daha fazla düşünmeye başladınız mı? Yeşil teknoloji ürünü Vkart Sanal akıllı kartvizit çözümleri sayesinde artık kataloglarınız da dijitalleşti! Dijital kartvizit ile ürün katalog, fiyat listesi ve tanıtım broşürlerinizi online olarak mobil cihazlar üzerinden kolay ve hızlıca müşterilerinize sunabilirsiniz.

    Bugünün müşterileri artık ürünleri internet üzerinden araştırmayı tercih ediyor. Bu nedenle her türlü interaktif özellik ile üretilen dijital kataloglar, klasik baskılı katalogların yerini almaya başladı. Müşterilerinizin karşısına; interaktif, etkileyici, kolay paylaşılabilir ve mobil kullanım deneyimi sunan Vkart dijital kartvizit kataloglar ile çıkabilirsiniz.

    Etkileyici Bağlantı Deneyimi

    Vkart dijital kartvizit, iletişim bilgilerinizi, sosyal medya bilgilerinizi ve çok daha fazlasını bir uygulamaya ihtiyaç duymadan online olarak hızlı bir şekilde aktarmanıza olanak tanır.

    Daha Güçlü Bir İmaj

    Vkart ile iletişim bilgilerinizi akılda kalıcı bir şekilde paylaşır ve güçlü bir ilk izlenim bırakırsınız. Dijital akıllı kartvizit tanıştığınız insanlar için ilgi çekici ve unutulmaz bir deneyim sunar.

    Yeşil Teknoloji

    Artık eski kağıt kartvizitlere veda etmenin, çevre üzerindeki etkilerinizi azaltmanın zamanı. Çevre dostu Dijital Kartvizit Vkart, farkınızı ortaya koyarak markanıza sürdürülebilir yeşil değer katar.

    Reply ↓

  40. Don’t let a tight budget hold your website back. WebTraffic offers the opportunity to buy cheap website traffic that can help your site get noticed. Explore our budget-friendly options and learn how to enhance your online visibility without overspending by visiting WebTraffic’s website.

    Reply ↓

  42. https://www.leanbiome-leanbioome.com/

    LeanBiome’s unique and proprietary formula combines nine clinically researched ‘lean bacteria’ species with Greenselect Phytosome, a next-generation green tea extract that has been formulated with patented, absorption-boosting Phytosome technology.

    This advanced ingredient LeanBiome helps to quickly reverse the bacterial imbalance in your gut microbiome, which has been identified as the root cause of belly fat and unexplained weight gain.

    Lean for Good makes the natural nutritional supplement LeanBiome available to customers. This dietary supplement has been formulated for people over the age of 18 to aid in weight loss.

    Reply ↓

  43. https://www.livpure-livpurecomplex.com/

    LivPure is a revolutionary weight loss supplement that has taken the health and wellness industry by storm. Packed with powerful ingredients that are scientifically proven to support weight loss, LivPure is the ultimate solution for those who are struggling to lose weight and improve their overall health.

    Livpure is a unique blend of natural ingredients that work together to reduce liver fat and improve liver health. It contains essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help the liver function properly, targets the root cause of stubborn belly fat and burn these fats in no time. The supplement is designed to be taken daily and is available in the form of capsules.

    Reply ↓

  45. Liv Pure is an innovative weight loss supplement that has been clinically proven to aid in weight loss and improve liver health. This supplement is formulated with a unique blend of all-natural ingredients that work together to target the underlying cause of weight gain, which is often linked to poor liver function. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxifying the body by removing harmful toxins, but when it doesn’t function properly, it can lead to weight gain and other health problems.

    https://www.livpur.us/

    Reply ↓

  46. It is 100% natural, pure and potent. The Alpha Tonic is manufactured right here in the US under strict, sterile and precise conditions.

    If you’re a man who needs a boost in sex drive, libido, mood, energy, erections, and hormone production, you need to try this supplement. This amazing mix of herbs, plants, vitamins and minerals has proven to be very effective in treating various ailments and conditions associated with male sexual health.

    https://www.alphatonic-thealphatonic.com/

    Reply ↓

  49. It is 100% natural, pure and potent. The Alpha Tonic is manufactured right here in the US under strict, sterile and precise conditions.

    If you’re a man who needs a boost in sex drive, libido, mood, energy, erections, and hormone production, you need to try this supplement. This amazing mix of herbs, plants, vitamins and minerals has proven to be very effective in treating various ailments and conditions associated with male sexual health.

    Reply ↓

  50. This advanced serum contains 100% natural ingredients that have been clinically proven to be highly effective. These natural ingredients work synergistically to provide superior and long-lasting benefits to the nails and feet. The serum is easy to apply, and users can simply use a cotton swab to apply it to their nails.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *