Scientific_explorations List_of_Dutch_inventions_and_discoveries

1 scientific explorations

1.1 first systematic mapping of southern celestial hemisphere (1595–1597)
1.2 first major scientific expedition brazil (1637–1644)
1.3 first ethnographic descriptions of new netherland , north american indians (1641–1653)

scientific explorations
first systematic mapping of southern celestial hemisphere (1595–1597)

in 1595, petrus plancius, key promoter east indies expeditions, asked pieter dirkszoon keyser, chief pilot on hollandia, make observations fill in blank area around south celestial pole on european maps of southern sky. plancius had instructed keyser map skies in southern hemisphere, largely uncharted @ time. keyser died in java following year catalogue of 135 stars, measured of explorer-colleague frederick de houtman, delivered plancius, , stars arranged 12 new southern constellations, letting them inscribed on 35-cm celestial globe prepared in late 1597 (or 1598). globe produced in collaboration amsterdam cartographer jodocus hondius.

plancius s constellations (mostly referring animals , subjects described in natural history books , travellers journals of day) apis bee (later changed musca lacaille), apus bird of paradise, chamaeleon, dorado goldfish (or swordfish), grus crane, hydrus small water snake, indus indian, pavo peacock, phoenix, triangulum australe southern triangle, tucana toucan, , volans flying fish. acceptance of these new constellations assured when johann bayer, german astronomer, included them in uranometria of 1603, leading star atlas of day. these 12 southern constellations still recognized today international astronomical union (iau).

first major scientific expedition brazil (1637–1644)

within thirty-year period dutch west india company controlled northeast region of brazil (1624–1654), seven-year governorship of count johan maurits van nassau-siegen marked intense ethnographic exploration. end, johan maurits brought europe him team of artists , scientists lived in recife between 1637 , 1644: painter albert eckhout (specializing in human figure), painter frans post (landscape painter), natural historian georg marcgraf (who produced drawings , prints), , physician willem piso. georg marcgraf, , published joannes de laet, piso wrote historia naturalis brasiliae (1648), important western insight brazilian flora , fauna, first scientific book brazil. albert eckhout, along landscape artist frans post, 1 of 2 formally trained painters charged recording complexity of local scene. 7 years eckhout spent in brazil constitute invaluable contribution understanding of european colonization of new world. during stay created hundreds of oil sketches – life – of local flora, fauna , people. these paintings eckhout , landscapes post among europeans first, introductions south america.

first ethnographic descriptions of new netherland , north american indians (1641–1653)

in 1641, kiliaen van rensselaer, director of dutch west india company, hired adriaen van der donck (1620–1655) lawyer large, semi-independent estate, rensselaerswijck, in new netherland. until 1645, van der donck lived in upper hudson river valley, near fort orange (later albany), learned company s fur trade, mohawk , mahican indians traded dutch, agriculturist settlers, , area s plants , animals. in 1649, after serious disagreement new governor, peter stuyvesant, returned dutch republic petition dutch government. in 1653, still in netherlands waiting government decide case, adriaen van der donck wrote comprehensive description of new netherland s geography , native peoples based on material in earlier remonstrance. book, beschryvinge van nieuw-nederlant or description of new netherland later published in 1655. new book well-crafted interests of audience, consisting of extensive description of american indians , customs, reports on abundance of area s agriculture , wealth of natural resources.