American Reacts to Why North is Up

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  • Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
  • Why is North up? In this video by Map Men, we learn why! In the realm of maps, globes, and spatial orientation, the idea of North being up on maps is something most of us take for granted. But have you ever wondered why that's the case? Join us as we delve into the intriguing history, cultural influences, and the science behind the choice of North as the "up" direction in maps. This video is not just about flipping your perspective but also about understanding the deeper reasons behind it. From early cartographic traditions to global standards, we'll uncover the evolution of this seemingly simple yet incredibly profound decision.
    Whether you're a geography enthusiast, a history buff, or just a curious mind, this video will open your eyes to a world of thought-provoking questions. Join us in this fascinating exploration, and prepare to see maps and geography in a whole new light. If you enjoy our content, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more exciting explorations of the world's many mysteries!
    Original Video: • Why is North up?
    Grab a mug! jjlareacts.etsy.com
    Support the channel! patreon.com/jjlareacts
    #MapMysteries #GeographyHumor #NorthVsEast

КОМЕНТАРІ • 120

  • @RogersRamblings
    @RogersRamblings 7 місяців тому +50

    "Different rock type" refers to the lack of London Underground railways south of the River Thames. This is partly due to the geology being different. North of the Thames there is a type of clay which is easy to tunnel through. South of the Thames there isn't.

    • @lomax343
      @lomax343 5 місяців тому +2

      On the other hand, civilisation has never caught on south of the river.
      Hmm, I seem to have proved someone's point...

  • @callumbrunton2761
    @callumbrunton2761 7 місяців тому +22

    Also, Tolkien's most famous map (of the lonely mountain) does have east facing up, because that's where the sun rises, and that's what would have been important for those creating the map; i.e. the Dwarves.

  • @mothmagic1
    @mothmagic1 7 місяців тому +15

    That opening map was the Isle Of Wight off the south coast of Hampshire. Rutland is the smallest county in England.

  • @angharaddenby3389
    @angharaddenby3389 7 місяців тому +7

    10:38 "It's tough to imagine a time when people didn't really know what was outside their world" - so . . . most Americans then, even today, don't know.

  • @MushyTales
    @MushyTales 7 місяців тому +11

    Been bingeing a bunch of your videos after finding you today - just want to say how great it is to see you enjoy learning new information, but also how great it is to see someone else opening up new tabs and looking up/fact-checking information etc. After Map Men videos I always end up with a few tabs and various wiki rabbitholes to go down learning new stuff and then forgetting 90% of it :D Keep up the good work!

  • @stewedfishproductions7959
    @stewedfishproductions7959 7 місяців тому +8

    I recognise the top, quote card name 'Simon Quinlank' as being the character portrayed by the British comedian, Kevin Eldon in 'Fist of Fun'. It was a British comedy show series, initially on BBC Radio 1 (in 1993) and then a BBC2 television series (in 1995). So I can only guess they were fans, perhaps? Especially as the character was always 'inventing hobbies' in each episode and was known as the 'Hobby King' etc.
    Don't know who 'Mary Minston' is (the middle, quote card), but would hazard a guess that it has some sort of 'in joke' too?

    • @JJLAReacts
      @JJLAReacts  7 місяців тому +3

      Ha! These guys fit jokes in everywhere! Thanks for shedding some light on the names!

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому

      @@JJLAReacts Did you see this explanation:)
      " "Different rock type" refers to the lack of London Underground railways south of the River Thames. This is partly due to the geology being different. North of the Thames there is a type of clay which is easy to tunnel through. South of the Thames there isn't.".....

  • @fiddyb
    @fiddyb 7 місяців тому +8

    Take all the time to look things up. You are one of the few that does it and it adds an extra passion for learning to your vids that I really love. Keep it up JJLA.

  • @alan-
    @alan- 7 місяців тому +5

    Map Men's "London Boroughs" videos are more interesting and funny than they sound.

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому

      Tru Say,Mi Bredda..

  • @Whitewingdevil
    @Whitewingdevil 6 місяців тому +1

    I'm really glad you take the time to look up references and rewind to catch jokes you missed, Jay Foreman's videos are crazy dense with both references and jokes.

  • @trevorlsheppard7906
    @trevorlsheppard7906 7 місяців тому +9

    The North and South poles. Aren't fixed , they vary slightly over time , approximately every 300,000 years the poles flip and North pole will become the South Pole ,if you look on some Uk maps theres a measurement in degrees of difference between Magnetic North and the North shown on the map , it's called Declination ❤.

    • @mothmagic1
      @mothmagic1 7 місяців тому +3

      The variation and is still published on aviation charts and possibly nautical ones.

    • @trevorlsheppard7906
      @trevorlsheppard7906 7 місяців тому +1

      @@mothmagic1 It's printed on the legend of Ordannce Survey Maps ., might be on others

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 7 місяців тому +1

      We're talking here only about the magnetic poles, of course. The earth's actual axial points don't ever change, I imagine.
      If I'm not mistaken, the earth's magnetic field and the positions of the magnetic poles are determined by eddy currents in its molten iron core?

    • @adaddinsane
      @adaddinsane 7 місяців тому +1

      Magnetic poles. The actual axes of rotation don't flip. (Although they do precess but that's another story.)

  • @stephenlee5929
    @stephenlee5929 7 місяців тому +6

    Hi, 7:01, the warning about beef butter is probably a reference to Mad Cow Disease (BSE), it caused cows to fall over amongst other things,

  • @Pixel_Player
    @Pixel_Player 6 місяців тому +1

    I never thought you’d ever mention Rutland, I live here in Rutland and it’s the smallest county apart from some technicalities, I would love for you to do a video on Rutland but there isn’t much info or videos about it

  • @22seanmurphy
    @22seanmurphy 7 місяців тому +6

    Hi please don't worry about about pausing as I'm 60 year's old from the UK and I'm always learning from you 😊.

    • @RyanKeane9
      @RyanKeane9 7 місяців тому +1

      I second this. Take your time my friend 👍🏻

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому +2

      60? 60 ? No youngsters,Please!

    • @22seanmurphy
      @22seanmurphy 7 місяців тому

      @@Isleofskye why!,

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому +1

      @@22seanmurphy Because I enter mu 8th decade next year,Sean:)

    • @22seanmurphy
      @22seanmurphy 7 місяців тому

      @@Isleofskye oh i see lol you're still a young pup 😊 just seen a bit more of the world than me, age is nothing it's how you feel 🤗

  • @GordonHector-fo5gi
    @GordonHector-fo5gi 6 місяців тому +2

    Hi, I've been watching your videos for some time now and have found them refreshing, funny, and educational. As a South Yorkshireman of 77 years, I thought I had seen it all. Your view of the world and the UK is very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work. (Just a boast for God's own country.) We are friendly people with a big heart and the backbone of Britain. By the way, l love your accent. Gordon

  • @giselavaleazar8768
    @giselavaleazar8768 7 місяців тому +3

    Dutch maps, mostly west up..
    Perhaps having the North Sea up (the most important trade route) is the common thing.

  • @watchreadplayretro
    @watchreadplayretro 7 місяців тому +4

    Fantastically eye opening!
    Thank you MapMen (and ReactionMan!)

  • @johnp8131
    @johnp8131 7 місяців тому +4

    It's true! In London if you ask a cabby (black taxi) to take you South of the river, traditionally, you will get a sharp intake of breath and a "Sorry Governor" as they were unlikely to get a fare paying customer back? Perhaps things have changed?

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      London taxi drivers have to take passengers up to six miles within Greater London.

  • @grahamsibbert2412
    @grahamsibbert2412 7 місяців тому +7

    Haha, yes, Rutland is the smallest county in England, and quite right, it doesn’t have a motorway.

    • @mautbydecoy1
      @mautbydecoy1 7 місяців тому

      😂 Norfolk doesn’t have motorways either. Keeps the riffraff out😉

    • @TheGarryq
      @TheGarryq 7 місяців тому

      Rutland is only the smallest county for half of the year. The other half It's high tide and more of the Isle of Wight is underwater 🤣

    • @leemcarthur4334
      @leemcarthur4334 7 місяців тому

      I don't think Norfolk has any motorways either 🤔

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      ​@@TheGarryqThe Isle of Wight is properly part of Hampshire.

    • @TheGarryq
      @TheGarryq 7 місяців тому

      @@andrewtaylor5984 The island became a separate administrative county in 1890, independent of Hampshire. It became a lieutenant in 1974, the same year it also became a ceremonial county in its own right. The island has administrative links to Hampshire

  • @davidwatts-hw2dh
    @davidwatts-hw2dh 7 місяців тому +2

    These guys should be in our schools to make learning geography, fun for our kids!

  • @pipercharms7374
    @pipercharms7374 7 місяців тому +6

    Great video as always! Hope you do more of their videos :)

  • @BritishBeachcomber
    @BritishBeachcomber 7 місяців тому +2

    0:56 Rutland is the smallest county in England, but it also has the largest man-made lake/reservoir, Rutland water. In fact, Rutland is mostly water.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      Kielder Water, which is mostly in Northumberland, with a small piece in Roxburghshire, is supposedly larger.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      Rutland also has a short stretch of both the A1 and the East Coast Main Line.

  • @barriehull7076
    @barriehull7076 6 місяців тому

    Brands Hatch motor racing circuit. A London born friend used to go down the hatch , I coming from South of Brands went up to Brands.

  • @AnthonyP73
    @AnthonyP73 4 місяці тому

    I just watched Jay Foreman's video on London's trams, lots of nice gags in there I thought you may appreciate.

  • @Isleofskye
    @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому +4

    Ironically in England,it is "The Beautiful South" and the "Grim" North....lol

    • @Oxley016
      @Oxley016 7 місяців тому

      anybody who has been to the north knows it is more beautiful

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому

      @@Oxley016 I prefer Douth London to North London, personally.***
      ***Obviously, you can't mean The North Of England. lol I went to Middlesbrough and Stockton On Tees, which has some lovely council estates.
      Went to Cleethorpes for a stick of rock. I will stick to The North and South Downs and West Country.:)

    • @Oxley016
      @Oxley016 7 місяців тому

      Lake district, peak district, Yorkshire, Northumberland etc. @@Isleofskye

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому

      @@Oxley016 You can't claim The Peaks,My Friend as it is mainly The Midlands but yes,I grant you The Dales and Moors of Yorkshire and The Lakes takes some beating but the weather !:)

  • @PHDarren
    @PHDarren 4 місяці тому

    02:55 top comment by Simon Quinlank, he was a character created by Kevin Eldon (actor/comedy actor, actually played two different characters in Game of Thrones). Simon Quinlank was protrayed on the TV sketch show Fist of Fun. He was a parody hobby person with a hobby of the day but really just taking the pee out of them.

  • @maozedong8370
    @maozedong8370 7 місяців тому +4

    10:44 Buddy, there are STILL people out there that don't think the Earth is a sphere because they are stupid.

    • @alan-
      @alan- 7 місяців тому +2

      Thanks to social media, more and more people believe all sorts of utter garbage. Being stupid is merely a pre-requisite, but thanks again to social media, we now know that a disturbingly large proportion of people meet that pre-requisite.

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому

      I am stupid but do realise The Earth is a sphere. Ironic,n'est ce pas?

  • @stevenwaton9867
    @stevenwaton9867 7 місяців тому +1

    You should watch funniest uk tv adverts over the last 20 /25 years

  • @PaulieR1976
    @PaulieR1976 7 місяців тому +1

    Beef butter is delicious. Used to get a beef sandwich made with beef dripping (beef butter basically). I could eat that til the cows came home.... oh wait

  • @carolineskipper6976
    @carolineskipper6976 7 місяців тому +1

    The map with all the words around the edge was the Isle of Wight, which is off the South coast of England. Some of the names on it were real and some nonsense.
    Oddly, maps of the UK are often oriented so that the South coast is shown running horizontally, which give no indication of how it sits in relation to mainland Europe, when in reality, Cornwall on the western end is a lot further south than the Kent coast on the eatern end.

  • @xolotlnephthys
    @xolotlnephthys 7 місяців тому +1

    we've always known that the world was a sphere. Just that people were less sure how big the sphere was, or how much land was on it

    • @adaddinsane
      @adaddinsane 7 місяців тому

      On the contrary, Eratosthenes measure it very accurately around 400 BCE.

  • @davidkettell6236
    @davidkettell6236 4 місяці тому

    those guys are so smart and entertaining.

  • @kimbirch1202
    @kimbirch1202 6 місяців тому

    On a sunny day, in summer, at lunchtime, your shadow will always be pointing North , if you have forgotten your compass.
    At least in the Northern Hemisphere.

  • @jackie6343
    @jackie6343 7 місяців тому +1

    Lol,whipper snapper is a young person 😊

  • @michaeltaylor2121
    @michaeltaylor2121 7 місяців тому +1

    Nice. When i get home from work, im gonna turn my world map upside down. Middle Earth can be on top of the world.

  • @mothmagic1
    @mothmagic1 7 місяців тому +1

    You are here maps follow the army principle of "track up" even if it means you have to hold the map at a 45 degree angle to line your map up with the direction you want to go.

  • @MrBulky992
    @MrBulky992 7 місяців тому +1

    The idea of northern places being given more importance/prominence than southern ones as the eye tends to scan from top to bottom (also left to right in most countries) is proved even at the national level by most British road atlases.
    The "natural" order, based on north-to-south and left-to-right would be to start in the NW and finish in the SE.
    As densely populated London and its surrounding area are located in the south east corner of the island of Great Britain and are considered, with some justification, to be more important than anywhere else, most road atlases "correct" this unfortunate geographical anomaly by ordering the detailed map pages so that the most southerly places are represented on the pages at the front of the atlas and the most northerly are right at the back with the others in between starting in the south west (Cornwall, Somerset, Devon etc. - being "left" of London) and finishing in the north east (John O'Groats, Orkney and Shetland) where far fewer people live.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      For the benefit of those who play Scrabble, in the original version of the game, you started in the top left-hand corner, and worked downwards, for the same reasons.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      Ordnance Survey maps are numbered upwards starting with the Shetland Islands, working gradually to Cornwall and Kent. There certainly are atlases of Britain working south from the Shetland Islands.

    • @MrBulky992
      @MrBulky992 7 місяців тому

      ​@@andrewtaylor5984I use OS Explorer maps and they are not numbered at all the way you describe, if I have understood.
      First, looking at my area, the SE of England, Winchester in Hampshire is map 120 and Coventry in the West Midlands is 221. Fort William and Ben Nevis in Scotland are on map 392. John O'Groats is map 451.
      I do not have a complete list for the whole of Britain but the numbers seem to go roughly left to right and south to north as I would have predicted.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      The Explorer series is clearly numbered differently from the general series.

  • @gwaptiva
    @gwaptiva 5 місяців тому

    The fact that you look shit up rather than attempting to farm YT's algorithm by asking your viewers to comment on the video, makes you a legit human being. Here, have my subscription (and a comment to attempt to farm YT's algorithm)

  • @boomjacks5703
    @boomjacks5703 7 місяців тому

    Nice

  • @jillybrooke29
    @jillybrooke29 7 місяців тому +1

    Isle Of Wight

  • @bulwinkle
    @bulwinkle 5 місяців тому

    I am convinced that the Map Men were Monty Python fans.

  • @ryttyr14
    @ryttyr14 5 місяців тому

    Back before people knew the Earth was a sphere? You mean sometime prior to 300 BC?

  • @LordRogerPovey
    @LordRogerPovey 7 місяців тому

    Rutland is the smallest county in the UK.

  • @kimbirch1202
    @kimbirch1202 6 місяців тому

    My brother who lives in New Zealand, stands upside down.
    Or is it me ??

  • @TheJohnboyhunter
    @TheJohnboyhunter 7 місяців тому +1

    British counties don't have to be tiny to not have any motorways. Northumberland is the 6th largest county in England and doesn't have a single section of motorway.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      Northumberland is in fact the fifth largest county, using the pre-1974 boundaries. There is a stretch of motorway in the centre of Newcastle, again using the historic counties, and that is historically Northumberland. (Tyne and Wear was a creation of politicians.) It is where I was brought up, and the creation of Tyne and Wear did a great deal of damage to the rest of Northumberland.

    • @adaddinsane
      @adaddinsane 7 місяців тому

      @@andrewtaylor5984 And besides, Northumberland isn't as funny as Rutland.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      @@adaddinsane What is so funny about Rutland? Rutland has, in fact, the second largest man-made lake in Britain. In addition, the longest railway viaduct in the country over a river is partly within the county. (Harringworth viaduct over the Welland.)

  • @Aloh-od3ef
    @Aloh-od3ef 7 місяців тому +3

    May I recommend ‘Harry and Paul.
    America tourists go for breakfast.
    Or
    ‘Women know your limits’.
    They are nice and short videos. 😉

    • @johnp8131
      @johnp8131 7 місяців тому +1

      Good advice.

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye 7 місяців тому +1

      "For Heaven's Sake: Women Don't Drive"..

  • @magdos7160
    @magdos7160 7 місяців тому +1

    1668th

  • @bloozee
    @bloozee 6 місяців тому

    Flat earther CC ( from Westchester county) even described a flight from LAX to Santiago as " down" !

  • @lesleycarney8868
    @lesleycarney8868 7 місяців тому +2

    so funny

  • @LynxLord1991
    @LynxLord1991 7 місяців тому

    Being Norse I resent that comment XD

  • @TheGarryq
    @TheGarryq 7 місяців тому +1

    How north be up when the earth is flat?

    • @angharaddenby3389
      @angharaddenby3389 7 місяців тому +1

      You can't be serious here. You're having a joke, right?

    • @TheGarryq
      @TheGarryq 7 місяців тому +1

      @@angharaddenby3389 Damn, you noticed

  • @oastie3
    @oastie3 7 місяців тому +1

    Isn’t North up because of earth’s orientation with the plane of the ecliptic. I do recognise that this could be viewed in a 180 degrees different orientation but, on this basis only North or South would be ‘up’.

  • @Griff942
    @Griff942 7 місяців тому

    What isn't mentioned is the axis of the planet.

  • @andrewtaylor5984
    @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому +1

    On the railways, from London is ALWAYS down, and to London is ALWAYS up. When a railway does not serve London, down is from railway headquarters. There are even places where there are down and up lines going in the same direction.

    • @bingbong7316
      @bingbong7316 7 місяців тому

      Exeter St Davids, although arguably not nowadays.

    • @andrewtaylor5984
      @andrewtaylor5984 7 місяців тому

      @@bingbong7316 Trains from Exeter to Barnstaple are down, as they would once have come from Waterloo, whilst those to Taunton are up. The tracks are shared to Cowley Bridge Junction. The same was true at Plymouth. Southern trains from London entered North Road Station from the west whilst Great Western trains entered from the east. Another instance is at Gloucester. The Midland Main Line is down from Derby. Great Western trains on the same line are bound for London, and are therefore up. At Chester, Euston trains left at the east end, whilst Paddington trains left from the west. All trains from Saltney Junction to Chester were therefore up.

  • @stirlingmoss4621
    @stirlingmoss4621 7 місяців тому +1

    #4