MAPPING AMERICA

The role of mapmaking in the discovery and development of America.

In Europe, the Renaissance stoked the desire to find “worlds beyond the medieval horizon,” write Asbury and Isbouts, who show the critical role of cartography in the rise of America. Beginning with the expeditions of Columbus and continuing through the American Revolution, the authors provide a scholarly review of the history of the U.S. Although much of the information presented is not new, the renderings of various iterations of relevant maps and an analysis of their implications provide a more robust examination of this time period than many surveys. For example, as the authors note, when Columbus set out to find a western route to the Indies, “the problem was, of course, that the medieval understanding of geography was still very rudimentary. Since Antiquity, very few people had actually endeavored to try to depict the earth in all of its far-flung beauty and detail.” Columbus was forced to turn to the only geographical resources available, which failed to indicate that another continent blocked his path. Despite the atrocities associated with his exploration, the authors assert that his achievements inspired subsequent voyages and led to developments in image reproduction, including copper engraving and three-dimensional globes, which would radically change the way Europe saw itself and its role in the world. Following colonization, the authors demonstrate the ways in which maps and diagrams proved instrumental in the division of land parcels, treaties with Indigenous peoples, and the complex interactions involved in the French and Indian War and other conflicts. The authors also note that, as exploration continued, maps and globes became conversational pieces and status symbols, frequently displayed as artwork in homes and included as objects in paintings of the day. Adding depth to the analysis are a host of full-color images of historical maps, related diagrams, paintings, and photographs.

A fresh, well-informed addition to the literature devoted to early American history.