How did north become "up"?

[KingGheedora]

If you're looking at a map, make north up, and then west is left, east is right. Who decided that orienting the map with north up would be the standard way of presenting and reading maps? Do any cultures do it the other way? What about historically, were there any who did it with south oriented upwards?

 

[deepred98]

European cartographers

same reason europe is in the center of most maps

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

http://www.odt.org/southupmaps.htm

 

[her209]

Like this comrade? link

 

[olds]

Ever seen a globe?

 

[Howard]

Why isn't north south?

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: Howard
Why isn't north south?

Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Howard
Why isn't north south?

I think you mean, why isn't east north?

 

[glenn1]

Originally posted by: deepred98
European cartographers

same reason europe is in the center of most maps

It would also make sense that north is "up" on maps because thats' where the vast majority of the land mass is.

 

[Deeko]

A) Rivers generlly flow N-S, making N "up" stream
B) This may be reversed in the southern hemisphere, I don't really know, but modern maps were generally made by people in the nothern hemisphere, sooo...there ya go

That's my take on the matter.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Howard
Why isn't north south?

I think you mean, why isn't east north?

Sure.

 

[KingGheedora]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Ever seen a globe?

Yeah, the up orientation could still be reversed with a globe.

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: deepred98
European cartographers

same reason europe is in the center of most maps

It is? :s

 

[Bateluer]

Wait until the magnetic axis reverses.

 

[dennilfloss]

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_159.html

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Wait until the magnetic axis reverses.

when the poles flip the world's going to go crazy for a little while, but it doesn't necessarily flip instantly, which is what is going to cause the most confusion. They can be kind of lazy as they float around until deciding on the final resting point near the poles of the Earth.

+

 

[Chaotic42]

South-up maps are banned here in Mississippi because they would make us Yankees. Also, the Northern Hemisphere is the best hemisphere. I'm a cartographer, so you can't argue.

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Wait until the magnetic axis reverses.

when the poles flip the world's going to go crazy for a little while, but it doesn't necessarily flip instantly, which is what is going to cause the most confusion. They can be kind of lazy as they float around until deciding on the final resting point near the poles of the Earth.

+

Wait so this can and will really happen?

 

[rival]

I was hoping this to be about Peter North.

 

[SKORPI0]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Wait until the magnetic axis reverses.

Magnetic polarity reversal

 

[dennilfloss]

Peter North is always up.

 

[Throckmorton]

Because Santa Claus lives at the TOP of the world, not the bottom.

I'm a geographer, and trust me, this is the reason.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

Originally posted by: deepred98
European cartographers

same reason europe is in the center of most maps

It is? :s

Yeah. Of course it's logical to put it there, because the world's largest ocean is on the opposite side of the world, and it makes sense for that to be on the outside edges of the map.

There was an episode of the West Wing that dealt with this topic briefly, as well as the mercator projection vs other projections.

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: deepred98
European cartographers

same reason europe is in the center of most maps

 

[SirStev0]

Originally posted by: her209
Like this comrade? link

that is very cool
looks completely different.