Book Description

From the mid-fifteenth to mid-eighteenth centuries, the driving force behind world exploration was Europe's growing passion for the luxuries of life and for discovering the uncharted territories that provided these luxuries. We know the shape of the world today because ships, driven by wind and human muscle, were navigated into every last bay and estuary on Earth, searching for this wealth. The ships that made these voyages were the products of a long evolution, and their navigators were the beneficiaries of centuries of accumulated experience. Voyages recounts the extraordinary feats of more than twenty daring maritime explorers, including Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Jacques Cartier, Martin Frobisher, and James Cook. In narrating these explorers' tales, Gordon Miller touches on the great themes of maritime history, including the development of new maritime technologies, the rise and fall of the maritime empires, and the discovery of new continents. Exquisitely illustrated with almost 100 of the author's paintings and many detailed maps and drawings of sailing ships, Voyages recounts the history of Europe's early navigators as they ventured into the unknown, braving uncharted territory. In carrying out their voyages, these ships and sailors defined the true dimensions of the oceans and coastlines of the world.