Gerardus Mercator’s (1512 – 1594) was a pioneer in modern mapmaking, creating a new approach to cartography that changed how the world created and viewed maps. Mercator, a Flemish mapmaker, developed a technique for charting the earth which accurately depicted a round object on a flat surface. His innovation, called the Mercator Projection, for the first time allowed sailors to travel long distances with minimal changes in compass readings. Ultimately, for his groundbreaking views of the world, he was jailed for religious heresy.