The Then Unknown

A message to today’s youth, “…don’t worry about not knowing what’s awaiting you;” it wasn’t that long ago (1772) that no one knew what opportunities the northwest rim of the Pacific Ocean held – and the World was a dark place then too.  Imagine sailing into an area totally unexplored!  The explorers relied upon the Old Testament’s first command in Genesis 2:15: acknowledging the Lord’s sacrifice, intent on caring for and exploring the Earth with a sextant.  The Spaniards thought they owned it, being gifted by the Pope.  The English were exploring and intent upon taking over the World (with the advantage of having a clock to determine longitude).  The Russians were looking for otter furs to keep them warm.  And the Americans were looking to make a buck.

https://plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Spanish-Explorers.pdf
https://plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/WA-History-Starts-Here.pdf
https://plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/English-Explorers.pdf

Most explorers could determine their position from the equator by looking at the North Star and estimating the angle to the horizon.  Stand on a level spot and look toward the North Star.  Or better yet, use a Sextant.

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