HIS 130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Topnotch, Dava Sobel, Marine Chronometer
Document Summary
Unlike most other people trying to figure out the issue of longitude, harrison was on his own, meaning he did not have a team to work with. The issue of longitude in itself was complicated so it called for a complicated solution. Harrison was part of the lower class that took a toll on his ability to get certain recourses to help him solve the issue of longitude. Harrison was self-taught which made him seem inferior to the astronomers with higher education who were also trying to solve the issue of longitude. The science in this time period was not very developed which made it overall difficult to crack the issues at hand. Harrison needed to test his products, which was not always easy. Harrison was viewed as powerless compared to the powerful astronomers from the royal society that made him appear less interesting to the committee assessing the solutions for the cash prize.