Maps

The Waldseemüller map, if it had been a map of just Europe, the middle east, and Africa, it would have accurately shown the proportions of that area. It shows Africa a lot bigger than Europe, which it is. However the problem with this map is the way it shows the rest of the world. It has missed a large chunk of north and south America, which is why it is example of European knowledge of the rest of the world. The Europeans did not know much about the western hemisphere. Also if you look carefully, there are many markings in the Europe part of the map, but none in the Americas and very few in Asia. The Europeans also did not know a lot about Asia either. It again shows a lot about European bias and interests. Europe is in the center of the world, which it isn't in other maps. Another point about this map, is that Asia is very exaggerated. Especially east Asia. The Europeans did not know much about Asia except that it was very big and rich with goods that the Europeans wanted to trade for. Also another example of European bias is that there is a picture of Amerigo Vespuci and another European man at the top of the map.

A Chinese map would have been a little different. I think Asia would be more accurately drawn, and there would be a lot less islands because the Chinese knew their part of the world better than Europeans. I think Europe would be a little different as well because the Chinese did not know Europe as well as the Europeans knew it, obviously. Also, China would be in the center, showing their interests.

I think the Ottoman map would have shown the middle east a lot bigger, and it would have shown the Safavid, Songhay, and Mughal Empires, as they were all Muslim. I think the Americas would have been miniscule or not even shown at all, because the Muslims didn't go exploring that part of the world. Also, Africa might have been drawn with some accuracy, because in the Waldsemüller map, there are no geographic markings in Africa. But the Ottoman Empire had a small connection to Africa because the Songhay Empire was there, so there might be some geographic markings there.