Representing the Republic

by John R Short

"Representing the Republic provides an account of the mapping of America from its colonial origins to 1900. The most significant maps and mapmakers are discussed in a survey that begins with the first European mappings of New Netherlands in the early seventeenth century and concludes with the Rand McNally atlases of the 1890s." "Maps tell us a great deal about the transformation of America's national identity. Having undertaken extensive research in map collections, including working with rare archival materials, prominent geographer John Rennie Short provides an account of how maps have both embodied and reflected power, conflict and territorial expansion throughout American history. His richly illustrated text focuses on maps of colonial claims, surveys of the American West and national atlases, paying particular attention to how and why certain groups were included on or excluded from maps. The book offers a fresh perspective on North American history and geography."--Jacket.