Lunch & Learn for February 2014

“The Replica Ship Half Moon: 

Science, Commerce and Culture in 17th Century Exploration”

                    Presenter:  William T. (Chip) Reynolds

                                 Director, New Netherland Museum

                                   Captain, Replica Ship Half Moon

 

Photo credit:  New Netherland Museum/JW Mangrum

 

With imagery, maps, and replicated artifacts, Reynolds will discuss the interaction of science, commerce and culture in the 17th century.  Analogous to circumstances today, the Dutch East India Company relied on applying the most advanced scientific concepts to world exploration and establishment of their global commercial enterprises.  Inevitably, this brought about collaboration and conflict between diverse cultures.  In the Hudson River Valley, this led to the establishment of a colony unique in North America for its tolerance of differing religious and political views, and opportunity irrespective of background.

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Captain Reynolds is an authority on historical navigation and world exploration under sail.  He combines practical experience using 17th century navigational tools with historical knowledge of their use and function aboard ship.  He is a proponent of the view that 17th century exploration and commerce advanced the transition from a religious based world view to our modern scientific or empirical world view.  He applies this approach to education under sail and in the classroom, where students measure and document the world around them and discover their ability to find patterns and predictability from this data.

 

Reynolds is an engaging public speaker and has lectured at venues as varied as the Library of Congress, the New York Court of Appeals, academic institutions, and educational conferences.  He has developed educational curricula using practices aboard ship to deliver scientific concepts to elementary through high school students and has written both for popular and academic publications.

 

In 2009, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands designated Reynolds as a Dutch Knight (Order of Orange), and in 2001 he was selected as a Gold Medalist of the Holland Society for his work with the Half Moon, a full-scale operating replica of the Dutch ship that Henry Hudson sailed in 1609.  This voyage led to the founding of New Netherland, the Dutch colony that encompassed parts of modern day New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

 

Reynolds has been featured in national television broadcasts with Bill Moyers and on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, CBS News, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and other national and regional media, and he has advised producers of feature films in the United States and abroad regarding historical sailing practices.

 

Reynolds is an Environmental Science graduate of New College of Florida, where he was a Noyes Environmental Fellow and published work on the biogeography of barrier islands in Southwest Florida.  He was a member of the State Planning Council for Radioactive Waste Management under President Jimmy Carter and served as Co-Chairman of the Transportation Working Group.  He resides in Selkirk, New York.

 

Friday, February 14

12:00 noon to 1:00 pm

Folsom Library Fischbach Room

 

Free!

Everyone is welcome!  

Bring your lunch or purchase one at the Library Cafe.

Dessert will be provided.

 

Adrienne Birchler

Coordinator

Friends of the Folsom Library