What was happening in America during the time that this map was created?

Please try to use AMERICAN YAWP, if possible. email me for further directions 🙂
Hide Assignment Information
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CARTOGRAPHY UN-ESSAY ASSIGNMENT

Note: READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE BEGINNING THIS ASSIGNMENT.

Source to find maps is found here: David Rumsey Link (click here)

Instructions appear after this map titled, Dissected Outline Map of the United States of America from the David Rumsey Collection.

This map above was published by Milton Bradly in 1880. The Puzzle Map had 69 pieces and had images on either side. Take a few moments to explore the details of this map. Answer, for yourself, who was its target audience? What are some unique features of the map? What was happening in America during the time that this map was created?

Did you stop to think about these things? Wellll… if not, have another look at the map and the questions, it’s important.

Alright, good on you…

From this one map puzzle we can learn something about industrialization, labor, gender, ethnicity, class, migration, environment as it was interpreted in the 1880s. What did the cartographer (map maker) think was important to illustrate and why? Do you notice things that seem left out or over emphasized? Keeping in mind the time that the map might help to answer some of these questions. What was the purpose of the map? Why was it printed on a puzzle?

As you can see maps like this are useful for answering important questions about changes in American History and are particularly useful for our course as we explore changes in the land and society leading up the American Civil War. Many questions outside the ones listed here could be asked and answered.

This learning exercise is designed to help you explore an individual region of your choosing and use your creativity to understand how geography and maps are tied to understanding the history of the US throughout this course.

This assignment is designed to help contextualize the overarching changes covered for the semester.

“How do I select a region?”

I recommend that you spend time thinking about a theme associated about a region. Begin looking for regions that hold your interest or that you would believe appeared many times throughout the course of the semester. Did some areas continue to be important places between Pre-Columbian societies up through the American Civil War? If so consider looking for that state. Likewise, if you are interested in one region but you don’t find much on that region then I’d suggest you have a few other places/regions in mind as backup locations.

NOTE: I call regions “states” understanding that you recognize that people occupied the land prior to any region becoming a state. You will search for your “state” but you should seek out maps that show the geographic location as it was conceived by cartographers in its various stages of empire and statehood.

NOTE: Do not use a map of the entire United States. I did so in the example above to illustrate how the maps can be viewed. You will select a specific state of your choosing for this assignment.

“Where do I go to find my three maps?”

Students should use only the David Rumsey Map Collection web site (link above).

Search for your state using the “Search the Collection” button in the upper right-hand side of the Rumsey website.

[NOTE: Do not look for maps in “Search the site” search bar. You will not get as many results.]

Next, using the tab on the left you can fine tune the search for your map.

Spend some time looking at the many maps created for the region you select.

You may be surprised to see how many different things are mapped by cartographers throughout history.

Tip: You can zoom in and out of a map using “+” & “—” appearing in middle of map.

Explore a bit. Utilize the “View in Georeferencer.” A slide bar in the upper left-hand side of the screen will appear and allow you to view maps over a present-day area of the region.

The three maps you select should allow you to create an interesting paper that engages with the major themes of the course in some kind of historical way. I would recommend you consider some of the themes I have listed above found under the puzzle map.

Some maps offer more evidence to consider from a historical perspective, so think about this when you make your selection. They may have more images, known as a cartouche, and some can be quite elaborate.

After researching the maps available for your region, you will select three maps created in different eras, one from each different time periods below:

First Arrivers to 1760s
1770s-1820s
1830ss-to the end of the class

Maps from these three time periods will make up the subject of your writing assignment.

“OK, I have decided on three maps, now what?”

Click on the “Export” button in the tab in the upper-right hand side of your map found on the Rumsey website.

In the drop-down list, select “Small up to 768” and save this to your computer as a .jpg file.

(WARNING: Do not save or insert larger files for this assignment! Some corresponding files can be quite large. These larger files can suck your storage space. Do yourself and your computer a favor and only download and insert the “Small up to 768”)

These three images will be inserted (copied and pasted) at the end of your written analysis of the map on a separate page. Make sure you know where the file is going in your computer so you can find it later and place it where it needs to be.

“Now what about the details of the writing assignment?”

The document you create will be single spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman, 1” margins, in word.doc with at least three (3) parenthetical citations from American Yawp primary or secondary sources for each map.

“How long is this writing assignment?”

700-800 words (do not include any quotes you use to calculate your word count)

DO NOT USE OUTSIDE SOURCES OR BIBLIOGRAPHY/WORK CITED PAGE.

“How do I submit the assignment?”

Geographic Cartography Writing Assignment is to be turned into D2L online no later than FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12 at 7:00 pm.

You should plan accordingly and submit earlier to avoid any unforeseen errors in technology. You will name your file with your last name, first name, followed by GeoCart.doc (example: BennettGinaGeoCart.doc).

Do not send document in Pages (Mac).

It must be saved and uploaded to D2L as a word.doc or word.docx

“What should I write about regarding my maps?”

Explain why you selected these maps and regions.
Determine who you believe was the target audience for this map.
Was it for the government?
Perhaps for recreation?
Might it be to encourage business or for other reasons?
Look for clues found within the map.
Other questions may come to you as you look at the three maps together in context, so feel free to ask other questions of your map sources.
Do your best to place this map within the chronological history of the state and beyond.
Explain how features point to the historical events or important themes in your map.
Explain the historical changes over time that are seen or can be inferred in your map selections. https://www.davidrumsey.com/

“How will I earn a superior score?”

Students will earn a maximum of 40 points for each of the 5 rubric grading sections below, for a maximum possible score of 200. Points will be deducted where standards are not met:

Following formatting instructions
3 Maps included in the upload
Free from grammar/spelling/citation errors
Solid consideration of map details or features that are historically relevant
Historical discussions using all useful Yawp materials to explain the historical moments and the change over time from the three different time periods

Last Completed Projects