Maps and Cartography

Cartography Cartography is the art and science of expressing the known physical features of the earth graphical by maps and charts.

Maps Maps are made for many reasons, and as a result, vary in content. Some maps made for general purposes may show roads, towns and cities, rivers and lakes, parks, and State and local boundaries. The history of civilization has been illustrated by maps: battle maps by soldiers, exploration maps by empire builders, thematic maps by scientists.

History No one knows who drew, molded, laced together, or scratched out in the dirt the first map. A study of history reveals that the most pressing demands for accuracy and detail in mapping have come as a result of military needs.

Early Maps The earliest atlases in the Library of Congress are associated with Claudius Ptolemy, an Alexandrian scholar who recorded and systematized classical Greek geographical knowledge during the second century. He titled his cartographic publication as the Geographia.

Early Explorers The voyages of Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, and Amerigo Vespucci dramatically changed the world map. One of the earliest printed maps to incorporate this new world view was Johann Ruysch’s map which is found in the 1507 reprinting of the 1490 Rome edition of Ptolemy's Geographia.

Introduction of Maps Martin Waldseemuller’s 1513 edition of Ptolemy was a landmark work that contributed to major advances in both Renaissance geography and map printing. Published by Johann Schott in Strassburg, it depicts for the first time in an atlas format the newly discovered continents of North and South America connected by a coastline.

Waldseemuller’s Map

Cartography as a Science French geographers placed cartography on a firm scientific footing during the eighteenth century, and many of their maps reflect original surveys or first-hand accounts obtained from French explorers and missionaries.

French and British Maps French and British charts began to replace the hold that Dutch charts had on the atlas trade during the eighteenth century with the expansion of maritime activities in these two countries.

Washington’s Farm In 1766, George Washington made this sketch of his farm…

Post-Revolutionary War Map A map of North America describing and distinguishing the British, Spanish and French dominions on this continent; according to the definitive treaty concluded at Paris on February 10th, 1763.

Duperrey’s Map of Bora Bora

Maps from Satellites Maps have evolved from mere sketches on the ground to satellites photos delivering precision accuracy. The photo below is a Mosaic map of Antarctica created from 23 satellite images.

Computer Generated Maps Computer-generated map showing earthquake-prone areas. High-risk areas appear as white peaks.

Maps Created using a Telescope Image of Saturn from the Hubble space telescope orbiting the Earth.

Summary Improvements in maps that have occurred throughout history are comparable to the change from pedestrian to astronaut. Information that used to be collected little by little from ground observations, can now be collected instantly by satellites hurtling through space, and recorded data can be flashed back to Earth at the speed of light.

Summary (con’t) Maps are an integral part of everyday life. Without maps, the world would be much smaller, culture diversities and experiences could not be shared, and life would be drastically different than it is today.

Learn More To learn more about maps, visit: To view maps, visit:

Lesson Draw a map from your present location to your house. Be specific. Include as many details as possible. You will swap maps with a classmate. Your classmate will explain your map to the remainder of the class.

Lesson Plan for the Internet Using the Internet, print a map of the area between Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C. Describe which Web site you used to create your map. Describe search techniques used to locate the Web site used.