USA Maps – Past, Present and Future

USA maps have been part of American culture for well over 200 years. In the early years, they changed a number of times as America expanded from the original 13 colonies to its current 50 state configuration. The last major changes were made in the middle of the twentieth century when Alaska and Hawaii were added to the Union.

Maps had to be adjusted and updated as the expansive territories west of the Mississippi gradually became the states that we all recognize today. Borders and boundaries changed and the USA maps were redrawn by cartographers to reflect those changes.

Types of USA Maps

While maps had to change to reflect the addition of more states and new borders and boundaries, they also became more diverse and informative. There were maps created that displayed the physical features of the nation and maps that showed the expansive highway and road system. Some of the many different types of US maps are shown in the following list.

• Climate maps
• Natural Resource maps
• Physical maps
• Political maps
• Road maps
• Topographic maps

The Very First USA Map

America gained its independence from Britain in 1776. Eight years later, the very first copyrighted map of the new country was created by Connecticut cartographer Abel Buell.
It was engraved in copper plates and printed in four sections. All of the colors were applied by hand. This first map was copyrighted in 1784 and measures 43 inches by 48 inches.

The map shows the 13 colonies and a portion of the new country to the west of the colonies but east of the Mississippi River. When the map was drawn, most of the state boundaries were far larger than they are today.

Recently this historic treasure sold at auction to Washington philanthropist David M. Rubenstein for $1,800,000. Rubenstein has agreed to lend the Abell Buell map to the Library of Congress where it will be on display for the public to enjoy.

Folding Paper USA Maps

Today’s generation may not use folding maps, but their parents and grandparents relied upon them when they took family vacations and traveled around the country for business and pleasure. Once the interstate highway system was put into place under the Eisenhower administration, Americans started to travel great distances to explore the country. Along with a packed suitcase and some ready-to-eat snacks, a roadmap was a necessity for the long excursion.

On family vacations, Dad would usually drive and Mom would sit in the passenger seat, unfolding the cumbersome map and acting as the navigator. While some spouses were excellent navigators, others had trouble giving directions. Sometimes, a friendly fight would break out between the loving couple over how to read a map.

Folding USA maps are neat and crisp when you first buy them. After a few uses, they start to look a bit tattered. Old maps tend to tear along the creases, discolor and become increasingly difficult to fold.

A map that stretches out four feet and is three feet wide requires quite a bit of folding and compacting to make it into a manageable size. Not only does one have to make about a half-dozen even folds, but they must be done in the right order. There is also the special skill of folding the map just right so you can focus on a specific region of interest.

Technology and the USA Map

Thanks to the internet, GPS and all the great mapping software, the paper map is becoming obsolete. While paper maps are still used today, in the not too distant future, everyone will rely on digital maps to find their way around cities, states and the entire country. The ease of use, level of convenience and almost unlimited information makes using digital maps the most efficient and practical way to find out which road to take and how to find specific points of interest.

To old-time map enthusiasts, the transition is painful. Just as we moved on from rotary telephones and 45 rpm records, we will move on with the way we view maps. Whether it is a good idea or not is a topic for a future discussion.

Posted in Climate maps, Natural Resource maps, Road maps, Topographic maps, USA maps | Leave a comment

Geography in the News™ ebook Now Available for Purchase

Maps.com just released our very first ebook format title for

Geographer Dr. Neal Lineback. The ebook, currently available via the Maps.com store and online book marketplace Lulu.com, draws on a specially selected collection of articles from the successful Geography in the News™ (GITN) series of weekly current events stories.

The ebook is a 77 page pdf download, containing 19 articles covering a range of topical stories from the most recent year of GITN articles. The articles are grouped in categories from The Middle East and North Africa to The Human Condition and Environmental Impact.

Each article offers an insight into a recent event — for example the uprisings in Tunisia or the Japan Earthquake, and offers background information, statistics, and an explanation of the relevance of these local events on the wider world.

"Areas of Drought, August 2011"

Areas of Drought, August 2011

Every story includes a map-based illustration produced specifically for the story through Appalachian State University, where Lineback is Professor Emeritus. The book is co-authored by his daughter Mandy Lineback, who carries out much of the research for the stories.

“As in the last 23 years, the Geography in the News™ content is designed to give readers a flavor of news events that are making history in a way that is thorough but not intimidating or patronizing. We are excited to be publishing in this new ebook format that can be utilized on iPhone and iPads, Androids, Kindles, and computers,” revealed Lineback from his home in Boone, NC.

GITN has been available online for a number of years through Maps101, an online social studies resource used by thousands of schools across the United States. This is the first time such a collection has been available to the wider public on mobile devices.

Chance of Encountering Malaria

Chance of Encountering Malaria

This groundbreaking activity for the Lineback’s follows on the tail of a recently launched blog where they supplement GITN with additional information, background research and ‘Didjuno’ articles at www.linebackworldview.com.

Copies of the ebook — Lineback World View Edition 1 — can be purchased as a PDF book from Maps.com or via the online marketplace Lulu.com.

Maps.com is currently looking for reviews of the book and have made a limited number of copies available at the reviewer price of $1 – a savings of $4.99. Email stephanie@maps.com for further information.

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Maps.com Contributes to Education of Rural Maasai in Northern Tanzania

Through a very generous donation from Maps.com to A is for Africa, a team of twelve American women will be hand-carrying a series of beautifully laminated color maps of Africa, the World and the US map to four Maasai communities in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. A is for Africa is a Maryland-based charitable foundation which strives to improve the livelihoods of children and their communities through educational opportunities. The maps will be part of a tour organized by A is for Africa, which will include teaching in two of the schools for several days in mid-May.  The maps will be incorporated into their lesson plans and then prominently posted in the schools for future use by teachers and students alike.

School Child in Africa - Photo provide by A is for Africa

The public education system in Tanzania is under considerable strain. Everything is in short supply – schools, teachers, educational supplies and transportation for the students. Schools report a number of other challenges, including students who come to school too hungry to learn and overflowing classrooms that average more than 100 students at a time. Such constraints mean that only around half of the population continues in school after grade 7. These maps will provide teachers with additional teaching materials, and help to brighten aging classrooms. They will help A is for Africameet its goals of improving teacher satisfaction and student performance.

Children in Africa Classroom - Photo provided by A is for Afric

Maps.com responded to their request for help by sending a selection of laminated color Africa, the World and U.S. wall maps. The USA and World Wall Maps are Maps.com branded political maps that include an abundance of information including borders and state capitals, oceans, seas, major lakes and rivers and much more. The Africa Wall Maps donated are by National Geographic and contain political information with boundaries clearly marked using different color bands for each country.

To learn more about A is for Africa, visit them on the web at www.aisforafrica.org or on Facebook. To learn more about Maps.com, visit us at www.maps.com or on Facebook.com.

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Maps.com Pinterest Contest Update

It’s been just over a week since we launched the Maps.com Pinterest contest, our first ever Pinterest challenge.  With only one week in, we have had several entries to our contest and we couldn’t be happier. There is still a couple weeks to go, so for those who haven’t enter the contest yet, please do so. All you have to do is simply create a virtual pin board featuring at least 9 items you love on Maps.com and you will be in the running to to win a $200 gift card from the Maps.com Map Store, more details below. The contest ends April 30, 2012. Winners will be picked randomly, so get pinning!

Never heard or Pinterest? Check out our Pinterest page here

Details on how to enter:

Share your favorite items from Maps.com with us, and enter to win $200 of Maps.com Maps!

ENTER BY APRIL 30, 2012

1) Follow Maps.com on Pinterest

2) Create a virtural Pinterest board call “Favorite items from Maps.com”

3) Pin at least 9 items from Maps.com that are your favorite

4) Once your board is complete, post board link to our Facebook.com page or Tweet us (@mapsdotcom) the link with hashtag #mapspinterest so we can find your board!

 

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Pinterest Contest. You could win $200 worth of Maps.com Wall Maps!

So as you know Pinterest is huge right now and we want to give our Pinterest followers a chance to win a $200 worth of Maps.com Wall Maps at the Maps.com Store with a Pinterest Contest. If you are not already a member of Pinterest you should definitely consider becoming one.  Pinterest is virtual pinboard full of great pictures, ideas, videos and tons of great ideas. This contest is super easy and fun.

If you need a Pinterest invite email us at newsletter@maps.com.

Here is how to enter to win the Pinterest Contest:

1.)     Log into your Pinterest account and follow Maps.com on Pinterest.
2.)     Create a theme board called “Favorite items from Maps.com.
3.)     Pin items from Maps.com that are your favorite items (MUST HAVE @ LEAST 9 ITEMS Pinned to your board).
4.)     Copy and paste your ‘Favorite items from Maps.com’ board link to our Facebook page (Facebook.com/Mapsdotcom) or Tweet us (@mapsdotcom) the link of your board with hashtag #mapspinterest so that we can find your board.

Rules:

1)  Pinterest Contest ends April 30, 2012 at Midnight PDT.
2)  You must have 9 pins on your board.
3)  One winner will be chosen.

Happy Pinning and Good Luck!

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Map Photo Entry

Elaine Conboy from Waldo Rohnert Elementary School in Rohnert Park California shares her map story with us.

“I used two of your maps for the office bulletin boards at the elementary school I work at. The world map was marked with pins denoting where our families came from. The US map was used to dentote where our staff memebrs were born. The kids love comin in to the office and looking at the maps and seeing all the different countries where they are in relation to our town. Our family reading night incorporated the world theme as well.”

Thank you, Waldo Rohnert Elementary School for sharing your story with Maps.com.

Share your map story with us and submit your map photo by emailing us at:  newsletter@maps.com

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Charitable Donation goes to Schools in Tanzania

Maps.com donated over fifty laminated maps to schools in Tanzania, Africa as part of an effort to improve the country’s education system.

This is a joint effort with the student-initiated non-profit organization One Heart Source (OHS), whose mission is to provide high quality education, specifically with regard to health issues such as HIV/AIDS, to rural areas in Tanzania.

In July 2011 OHS was assigned to a project in Musa, a rural ward in the Arusha Region of Tanzania. OHS’s main focus has been on the communities’ need to complete two new classrooms in time for 2012, which will help with current overcrowding and make space for new incoming students.

Since May 2011, OHS has been teaching a variety of subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, History, Biology, and Geography at the Musa Secondary School. According to OHS, the volunteers who teach geography to the students only had one world map available to them in their classes. Maps.com responded by sending over 50 laminated World and Africa wall maps.

“We are incredibly honored that Open Heart Source approached us and delighted to be a part of helping students in Tanzania learn about the world” says Bill Spicer, eCommerce Manager of Maps.com.

Maps.com and One Heart Source hope their efforts to improve education for the children of Tanzania will also provide additional life skills and character development and ultimately lead to positive social change.

For more information on volunteering, donating or raising awareness, visit www.oneheartsource.org.

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Map Games, Reference Atlases and Free Map Stuff

Who doesn’t love free stuff? Check out the Maps.com collection of free online map puzzles, map games, reference atlases and more. Learn United States and World geography using our free online Map Puzzles and Games.

Can you drop the correct states into the United States? With the USA jigsaw map game you are sure to quickly learn where all the states are within the United States. Know your US capitals? Take the US capitals map game challenge.

Learn geography with the GeoQuiz, also available to download in the iTunes store.  The GeoQuiz’s is a challenging geography game that puts one’s mind to the test. The first round covers ‘Country Statistics and World Rankings.’ There are 10 Geography questions you have to answer by clicking the appropriate location on our full-screen, colorful world map. You have three chances to get the correct answer, and the less chances you use, the more points you get! Play in teams or individually and aim for the highest score and the title of GeoQuiz Champion!

The Geo George Quiz Challenge is a fun and engaging game designed to spark anyone’s interest while learning interesting global facts and trends.

Also available in our free stuff map section, is an entire reference atlas collection that consists of all the free maps of every continent, country and region. You can find huge collections of physical maps, political maps, historical maps, world factbook and much more.

The Free Stuff collection is a great place to have fun and learn geography. We also have tons of iPhone Apps that you can download directly to your phone for on the go learning and fun.

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2012 History Atlases Now Available

We excited to announce that we just added two new history atlases to the map store. The two atlas titles include the United States History Atlas and the World History Atlas. These two atlases are an invaluable collection of clear and attractive historical maps. With an entirely new cover design and layout these atlases are a must have.  Each atlas contains a comprehensive collection historical maps, great for a handy reference for any student.

United States History Atlas

- Includes maps for early exploration, Native American cultures, settlements, wars, ethnic distribution and more for US land from 1000AD – 2001AD.

- Maps even include US involvement in the European fronts in the World Wars. Maps of Latin America, Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan show military bases, conflict sites and more.

- 8 X10 inch soft cover atlas with 56 pages, includes 53 full color maps and is fully indexed.

Click here to buy your United States History Atlas. Large quantity and bulk pricing available.

World History Atlas

- Global coverage of major historical periods from Ancient Civilization through major conflicts and today’s world.

- 8X10 inch soft cover atlas with 56 Pages, includes 52 full color maps and is fully indexed.

Click here to buy your World History Atlas. Large quantity and bulk pricing available.

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Maps.com in action showing maps and cartography to local students.

This article is from our Maps.com ‘In Carto’ Blog. Santa Barbara’s Monte Vista Elementary School’s Science night was a great opportunity for one of our Maps.com cartographers to speak to kids about cartography and maps and show them how it can be relevant to their everyday lives.

Also on display was Maps101, one of Maps.com divisions, an online subscription service for K-12 schools with the purpose of supplementing and complimenting traditional history, social studies and geography curriculum materials. At Science night, Maps101 received a thumbs up from all of the parents, teachers and most importantly the geographers, scientists and historians of tomorrow.

By Eric Wilder, Cartographer, Maps.com.

“Last week marked an exciting time for Maps.com, as it was the culmination of the critically acclaimed Monte Vista Elementary School Science Night.

Global Appeal

Global Appeal

For many K-6 graders in Santa Barbara, Science Night is one of the most anticipated days of the year; Monte Vista Elementary School hosts dozens of local scientists from a wide variety of disciplines who enthusiastically share their profession with young minds of tomorrow. The evening gives students the opportunity to touch a human brain, hold a python, experience static electricity, and as of 2012, learn about MAPS!!!

As a past student of Monte Vista who vividly remembers the thrills of Science Night, I was ecstatic to see things come full circle and return 15 years later as a cartographer. Teamed up with my partner in crime, Maps101 Customer Account Specialist, Terry (also a proud Monte Vista graduate!), we prepared a presentation that we hoped would engage students and get them interested in maps.

Global Appeal

Global Appeal

Despite the fact that the cartography exhibit was placed right next to the reptile exhibit – tough competition to say the least – it is safe to say that the kiddos were enthralled to learn about maps. Crowded around the big maps we brought with us, Monte Vista students were quickly able to spot their school’s location on a map, identify ways that the Santa Barbara area has changed in the past century using our Santa Barbara Antique Wall Map, find their California mission on our Maps 101 missions map, and discover the uses of imagery in mapmaking. You would be shocked to learn how many first, second, and third grade students have used Google Maps before!!

Science Night

No, THIS is longitude, Mr.

Seeing that I once had a cartographer visit my classroom in fifth grade, we at Maps.com understand the value of introducing the science of cartography to our society’s next generation of geographers. After a very fun evening complete with prize giveaways and contests, it is without doubt that the future looks bright for the cartographers of tomorrow!”

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