Summary
Highlights
Dr. Schulten explains that many maps she wanted to include were too large for the book's format or were conceptually similar to others already chosen. She aimed for geographical and temporal balance, occasionally having to omit beautiful pictorial maps.
A question arises about the relationship between the French and British conflicts. Dr. Schulten clarifies the timing of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, emphasizing how the outcomes of the former significantly influenced the latter, particularly regarding territorial claims.
Libby Bischoff, executive director of the Osher Map Library, welcomes attendees to Dr. Susan Schulten's lecture. Dr. Schulten is introduced as the inaugural Osher Map Library Visiting Scholar, a program aiming to bring scholars to work with students and the community annually.
Dr. Matthew Edney introduces Dr. Susan Schulten, highlighting her extensive work on the history of cartography, including her books 'Mapping the Nation' and a recent book that integrates American history with relevant maps. He praises her groundbreaking work and significant contributions to the field.
Dr. Schulten shares how she was approached by the British Library Press to write a history of America using maps as primary evidence. She explains her goal to show how maps are both influencers of and influenced by the past, reflecting and mediating change across five centuries.
Dr. Schulten discusses Guillaume de L'Isle's 1718 map, highlighting its comprehensive nature and its role as a propaganda tool for French territorial claims in North America. She explains how the map intentionally delineated French and British control, leading to conflict.
The deerskin map, made by a Cherokee or Chickasaw leader around 1720, is presented as an example of indigenous cartography. This map, given to Governor Nicholson of South Carolina, illustrates power relationships and trade proposals, offering a non-European spatial representation.
Dr. Schulten details George Washington's 1754 map, created during his mission to deliver a message to the French military. This map, detailing French fortifications and military strength, directly contributed to the outbreak of the French and Indian War, highlighting maps' role in decision-making and conflict.
An 1853 German immigrant map, designed to guide new arrivals, reveals deeper insights into the economic and social divisions leading to the American Civil War. The map unintentionally illustrates the differing developmental paths of the industrial North and the agrarian, slave-dependent South.
Elmer Simms Campbell's vibrant 1932 pictorial map of Harlem is presented as a 'love letter' to the jazz scene, reflecting the cultural energy and social dynamics of the period. It subtly highlights themes of segregation, prohibition's unintended consequences, and the burgeoning modern American culture.
Dr. Schulten discusses how World War II transformed mapmaking, moving from traditional Mercator projections to new visual approaches. Richard Edes Harrison, an artist rather than a cartographer, reimagined global geography to help Americans understand aerial warfare and their vulnerability.
The lecture concludes with a discussion of Deep Map, a company creating dynamic, constantly updated databases for self-driving cars. This represents a modern evolution of cartography, where maps are not static visual representations but constantly evolving data sets, serving exploration and movement in new ways.
The 1490 Martellus map, representing the world before Columbus's voyages, illustrates how maps can influence historical events and then become obsolete due to those very events. Its inaccuracies, influencing Columbus's journey, highlight the dynamic relationship between maps and history.
An audience member asks about a detail on the deerskin map that resembles a parasol, to which Dr. Schulten clarifies it is a ship, indicating a port. She also points out the rectilinear representation of British colonies versus tribal areas.
An audience member inquires about GIS and its impact on modern mapmaking and reading. Dr. Schulten notes the tremendous work being done with GIS in history and geography, while also reflecting on how digital maps might change the fundamental way people understand and interact with geographical relationships.
A question about the origin of the compass is addressed, with Dr. Matthew Edney providing historical context on its invention in China around 1000 AD and its introduction to Europe in the 13th century, leading to the development of marine charts.
Dr. Schulten discusses her efforts to include diversity in the maps' subject matter and, where possible, authorship, acknowledging the challenges due to historical patterns of map production. She highlights the inclusion of maps related to slavery, Mexico City, and different cultural perspectives.