Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

Throughout history, humanity has encountered problems that they have sought to solve through unique inventions. What are some of the most significant inventions in world history? What are some overarching themes of the problems that were trying to be addressed? How did these problems vary in themes over the centuries? Explain.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider the role that inventions have played in The Quest for Precision. In particular, Sobel’s text touches upon three key historical periods related to the need for scientific and technological advancement: The Age of Exploration (the 15th-17th centuries), the Scientific Revolution (16th-17th centuries), and the Industrial Revolution (18th-19th centuries). While these eras can overlap in time, they all point to the important fact that, beginning with the Renaissance in the 14th century, European countries in the post-Medieval era were beginning to expand their interests geographically, scientifically, and economically. Ultimately, all three eras were connected in that they sought growth; however, this could only be obtained with the proper inventions to propel them forward.