The Map That Changed the World

Simon Winchester

• Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9780061978272
• Topic: Geschichte
• Subtopic: Wissenschaftsgeschichte

In 1793, a canal digger named William Smith made a startling discovery. He found that by tracing the placement of fossils, which he uncovered in his excavations, one could follow layers of rocks as they dipped and rose and fell—clear across England and, indeed, clear across the world—making it possible, for the first time ever, to draw a chart of the hidden underside of the earth. Smith spent twenty-two years piecing together the fragments of this unseen universe to create an epochal and remarkably beautiful hand-painted map. But instead of receiving accolades and honors, he ended up in debtors' prison, the victim of plagiarism, and virtually homeless for ten years more.

The Map That Changed the World is a very human tale of endurance and achievement, of one man's dedication in the face of ruin. With a keen eye and thoughtful detail, Simon Winchester unfolds the poignant sacrifice behind this world-changing discovery.

Searchable Terms

Note: Entries in this index, carried over verbatim from the print edition of this title, are unlikely to correspond to the pagination of any given e-book reader. However, entries in this index, and other terms, may be easily located by using the search feature of your e-book reader.

Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.

Accurate Delineations and Descriptions of the Natural Order of the Various Strata That are Found in Different Parts of England and Wales (Smith), 156–57

Adam brothers, 6, 205

Adelard of Bath, 122

Adelphi houses, 6–7, 204–5, 205

Agassiz, Louis, 295

Age of Reason, The (Paine), 22

Agricultural Magazine, 202

Agriculture, British Board of, 198, 199, 211, 217

Aikin, Arthur, 225

Allen, William, 224

Allen & Hanbury, 224

ammonites, 189

descriptions of, ix–xi, 165–66, 172–73, 179–80

evolution of, ix–x

found by author, 165–66, 170, 172–74

illustrations of, ix–xi, 173, 181, 188, 271

origin of name, ix

Annalis Veteris et Novi Testamenti (Ussher), 15n

Anning, Mary, 108–9, 112, 128, 240

Aptyxiella, 179–80

Arbuthnot, Charles, 246

Arkwright, Richard, 17

Art of Measuring, The (Fenning), 53

Ashmolean Museum, 35, 179

Asteroceras, 188, 189

Austen, Jane, 121

Baily, Francis, 295

Baker, George, 299

Banks, Sir Joseph, 204, 242, 261, 262, 266

Bounty expedition and, 200

Geological Society’s dispute with, 227

WS’s map dedicated to, 220

as WS’s patron, 149, 200, 201–3, 209–10, 217, 245, 246, 247

Barne, Barne, 246

baronets, 277n

Barry, Edward, 296

Barry, Sir Charles, 296, 298

Bath, 51, 59, 95, 101, 114, 115, 118, 146, 148, 161, 169, 180, 181

Billingsley and Davis’s maps of, 124–25, 127

hot springs of, 121–22, 208–9, 253

population of, 122

Roman naming of, 121

Warner’s guide to, 214

Warner’s map of, 148

WS’s map of, 126–28, 126, 142, 148, 289

WS’s plaque in, 102, 103

Bath Agricultural Society, 130, 149

Bath and West of England Society, 123–24, 129

Bath Chronicle, 101, 122, 197

Bath Corporation, 208, 209

Bath stone, 82, 243

Bedford, Francis Russell, fifth duke of, 153–55, 205

estates of, 154, 209

sheepshearings of, 154–55

WS’s relationship with, 149, 156, 160, 196, 197, 209

Beeching, Richard, 79

Bennett, Etheldred, 110, 113–14, 233

Berisford, John, 255

Bevan, Benjamin, 201

Bible, 12–13, 13, 112, 248

Big Ben...