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2006-06-29 14:00:15 · 17 answers · asked by batts 2 in Science & Mathematics Geography

17 answers

North is one of the four cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction: north is used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions; the (visual) top edges of maps usually correspond to the northern edge of the territory represented, unless explicitly stated otherwise or landmarks are considered more useful for that territory than specific directions



TRUE north, the direction along the earth's surface toward one pole of the earth's rotation, namely the pole that is clearly on one's left when standing at the Equator while facing the rising sun.

MAGNETIC north, the direction along the earth's surface in which horizontal magnetic field strength has its most positive value (but see Flipping of planetary magnetic poles for an eventual event, so rare as to make unlikely any advance agreement on whether one or two retronyms would be involved in the replacement terminology)

South is also one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of North and at right angles to East and West.SO ONCE NORTH IS FIXED SOUTH IS IT'S OPPOSITE

By Western convention, the bottom side of a map is South.


So, the real answer to your question is that it's just a convention & has no scientific basis behind it .

2006-06-29 14:10:31 · answer #1 · answered by Nihilist 3 · 2 0

Mapmakers have long debated this question.

Prior to the invention of globes, there was no standard convention for which side of a map should be up. Many medieval maps have east up, or south up, or north up.

My theory is that north became the standard "up" for maps, because north is the most logical "up" for globes. Since most people live in the Northern hemisphere, it doesn't make sense to put south "up" on a globe, because that would mean the most interesting bits are on the bottom, where they're hard to see.

Putting east or west "up" on a globe -- turning it on its side -- would seem to be ideal. But that means the the words on one side of the globe would be upside-down.

So the best solution is to put north "up" on your globe, so that the words can be read all around the globe, and the Northern Hemisphere is easily visible.

And if you're putting North "up" on your globes, it makes sense to put North "up" on your maps too.

2006-06-29 14:47:23 · answer #2 · answered by Keith P 7 · 0 0

I'm not too sure.

But have a look at the link below.. it gives you a pictorial of the earths rotation.

Essentially, the earliest scientists apperared in the Northern Hemisphere. They would tend to think they were "above" rather than "beneath" and they would have considered the equator as the middle and therefore would want to look down on the "savages" below them.
There may also be a religious connotation in that in it's present orientation the earth is spinning in a right handed rotation.. this could be associated with right handedness and god rather than left handedness and the devil.

Good question though.

2006-06-29 14:13:56 · answer #3 · answered by simsjk 5 · 0 0

As a side note, there are actually two different types of "north" and "south". What you are referring to is called "Geographic North/South". The second kind is "Magnetic North/South", and there is evidence showing that at least once during the earth's history the magnetic poles actually switched (that means a compass reading "north" was actually pointing to the geographic south pole) and then returned to what we consider to be their normal state.

Just a little tid-bit for ya!

2006-06-29 14:12:11 · answer #4 · answered by tcope5 2 · 0 0

This is simply the current map-making convention. However, there is no fundamental reason for this scientifically. Indeed, some medieval maps have south at the top. J.R.R. Tolkien uses either east or west (can't remember which) as the top for his maps of Middle Earth.

2006-06-29 16:48:51 · answer #5 · answered by Ѕємι~Мαđ ŠçїєŋŧιѕТ 6 · 0 0

This is because when (most of the) people draw it on the paper ( X-Y Axis) North points top and South points Bottom.

This is what your school teacher tought you in your school day and it is set in your mind.

Thi's why we (most of the people) consider North is up and South is down.

2006-06-30 04:55:56 · answer #6 · answered by Ho K 3 · 0 0

Before we had globes, all geography was printed on Maps, and the Cartographers, always printed them with North up top and South on the bottom. It was easier for mariners, to read them that way.
Just made more sense.

2006-06-29 14:03:45 · answer #7 · answered by johnb693 7 · 0 0

You must live in the Northern hemisphere, if you lived in the southern hemisphere you would have asked: why is north down & south up!

2006-06-30 04:50:37 · answer #8 · answered by bluedawn 3 · 0 0

because when u read a map, north is at the top and south is at the bottom.

2006-06-29 14:09:03 · answer #9 · answered by zay 1 · 0 0

because the top of the earth is the north pole and the bottom of the earth is the south pole.

2006-06-29 14:03:35 · answer #10 · answered by Mal 5 · 0 0

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