J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Training for Eighteenth-Century Cartographers

The Department of the Geographer, an organization reenacting the cartographic unit of the Continental Army, has announced its fifth annual Cartography, Surveying & Engineering School of Instruction, to be held next month in West Virginia.

The group’s website explains:
At so many of the events we participate in, we are so busy working with the public that we don’t get to conduct training exercises for ourselves. Sessions for the weekend include:
  • Creating (draughting) maps from survey data
  • Thomas Hutchins’ study of magnetic needle dip around the world
  • Colouring maps and plans with period watercolors
  • Observing the 2012 Transit of Venus
  • Enhancing living history impressions by studying museum collections
  • Basics of 18th-century surveying
This is the sort of event I have no interest in attending, but am tickled pink to know that it’s out there.

The next transit of Venus, incidentally, is on 5 June, so make your plans now.

1 comment:

Thomas said...

Mention of the transit of Venus alls to mind the various voyages of Captain James Cook. The first voyage, of course, was tasked with observing the transit of Venus in the Pacific. The third and for Cook fatal one, in 1777-79, was the one for which Ben Franklin issued a passport directed at all naval vessels in arms for Congress:

http://tinyurl.com/78ll68t