The primary goal of the Royal Observatory was to correct and improve maps and charts in hopes of solving problems in geography, chronology and navigation. France’s attempts at national development were stifled by the localization of measurements, taxes, weights, and topographical knowledge. The incongruity of France‘s measurements and knowledge convinced the Acadèmie that France needed to have a unified map of the country. The Carte de Cassini is significant because it is the first complete topographical survey of an entire country and taught other countries how to perform national mapping endeavors. Another reason why the Carte de Cassini is relevant is because it helped standardization become an element of modern science and led to international mapping ventures. The scientific institutions in Europe are important because they intertwined science, cartography and the interests of the state as exemplified in the national mapping project of France and trans-national mapping projects of France and England. Turnbull writes, “ This linking created a trans-national knowledge space whose ramified bureaucratic structure in providing the conditions for the possibility of modern science and cartography has the appearance of determining all our knowledge” (20). Turnbull suggests that knowledge spaces are becoming more hegemonic; however, the creation of knowledge spaces is opposed by the attempt to portray science as universal. Turnbull’s main argument is that science, cartography, and the state integrated in early modern Europe and created a knowledge space which incited the conditions for modern science and
The primary goal of the Royal Observatory was to correct and improve maps and charts in hopes of solving problems in geography, chronology and navigation. France’s attempts at national development were stifled by the localization of measurements, taxes, weights, and topographical knowledge. The incongruity of France‘s measurements and knowledge convinced the Acadèmie that France needed to have a unified map of the country. The Carte de Cassini is significant because it is the first complete topographical survey of an entire country and taught other countries how to perform national mapping endeavors. Another reason why the Carte de Cassini is relevant is because it helped standardization become an element of modern science and led to international mapping ventures. The scientific institutions in Europe are important because they intertwined science, cartography and the interests of the state as exemplified in the national mapping project of France and trans-national mapping projects of France and England. Turnbull writes, “ This linking created a trans-national knowledge space whose ramified bureaucratic structure in providing the conditions for the possibility of modern science and cartography has the appearance of determining all our knowledge” (20). Turnbull suggests that knowledge spaces are becoming more hegemonic; however, the creation of knowledge spaces is opposed by the attempt to portray science as universal. Turnbull’s main argument is that science, cartography, and the state integrated in early modern Europe and created a knowledge space which incited the conditions for modern science and