Filed under: History 615
Maybe “wrong” isn’t the best word though…maybe “different” is a more suitable term in this case. So I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want my final project/atlas entry to cover. I’ve got a few ideas, but I think the one I’m most leaning towards is well illustrated in the map below (I’ll explain further in a follow up post later).
So, leave me a comment and let me know what you think. If you leave the right answer you win a special prize!
Actually no that’s a lie.
But if you do get it right you win the satisfaction of knowing that you got it right. Don’t go looking this map up on the internet right away either…that’s cheating. Anybody can go and Google this map and figure out what makes it “different”. Once you think you’re pretty sure you know what it is though, then go look it up here… http://www.davidrumsey.com/.
And I’m curious to know what your thoughts are on this. How does your interpretation of the map change? Does it change? How significant is the “difference” to the user? Is map above less (or maybe more) effective then the one found in David Rumsey’s collection?
P.S. I’ve had a lot to say trying to play catch up this weekend. This will probably be it though until sometime mid-week before class. Please continue reading…
3 Comments so far
Leave a comment
History 615 
Well I don’t know about “wrong” but certainly mapping during the Civil War would have taken on new kinds of power and meaning for strategic circumstances, but also because Lincoln didn’t really ever recognize the southern states’ right to leave the Union… so in mapping territory insisting that the Southern states were still part of the US would have had deep political meanings.
Comment by mbestebr September 16, 2010 @ 9:04 amhttp://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~26871~1100170:Military-map-showing-the-topographi
Check this link here for a better look. I was playing around in photoshop and basically I just took the elevation contours (terrain) out of the map. The terrain around Harpers Ferry is far from flat. If you didn’t know that beforehand you would be in for a surprise if you showed up for a fight thinking otherwise. I was thinking I wanted to explore the depiction of the 3rd dimension (elevation) and its significance in maps like this from the Civil War. I’m starting to feel though that that topic might be a little simplistic…
Who knows though. This is just an initial thought in trying to figure out what direction to go in.
Comment by rkpalmerjr September 16, 2010 @ 11:32 am[…] https://rkpjrhist615.wordpress.com/2010/09/12/tell-me-what-is-wrong-with-this-map/ […]
Pingback by Links to My Posts on Other Students’ Blogs « Lindsey's Travels September 19, 2010 @ 3:27 pm