1802 map of East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania - by Johannes Walch
1802 map of East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania - by Johannes Walch
‘Beautiful! This is more accurate than I thought possible in 1802
Same. Amazing what they could do with surface-level measuring and surveying, before satellites, or even airplanes!’
1839 map of Texas
1839 map of Texas
‘this is amazing.
having a lot of trouble finding modern borders though. it looks like the southern and eastern borders are mostly the same, right?
where is el paso?
The southern border stops at the Rio Bravo which was apparently what the Rio Grande was called back then, so yes east, southern, and gulf coast borders are mostly the same.
El Paso isn’t on this map, it doesn’t extend far enough to the west (also El Paso didn’t become part of Texas till around 1846)’
1887 Stanford's map of Victoria
1887 Stanford’s map of Victoria
‘A train all the way to Bellarine Peninsula seems like a good idea’
1834 map of Russia and Poland - by John Arrowsmith
1834 map of Russia and Poland - by John Arrowsmith
‘Interesting seeing Nowy Targ as Neumarkt
Also worth noting that Poland wasn’t entirely under Tsarist rule, but also Habsburg and German states’
1884 map of Uruguay
1884 map of Uruguay
‘I love this map, with its composition of portraits of important people, city plan highlight, and sketches of important buildings and city views’
1847 map of Australasia - by William Hughes
1847 map of Australasia - by William Hughes
‘Am I seeing wrong or is Victoria labelled “Felix”???
Australia Felix (Latin for “fortunate Australia” or “happy Australia”) was an early name given by Thomas Mitchell to lush pasture in parts of western Victoria he explored in 1836 on his third expedition. On this expedition Mitchell was instructed to travel to Menindee, then down the Darling River to the sea, if it flowed there; or, if it flowed into the Murray River to go up the Murray to the inhabited parts of the colony. However lack of water forced Mitchell to follow the Lachlan River to the south-west as the only practicable route. He reached the Murrumbidgee on 12 May and followed it to the Murray’
1893 ethnographic map of India - by J.G. Bartholomew
1830 map of the Colony of New South Wales
1830 map of the Colony of New South Wales - by Rest Fenner
‘Still love how Lachlan Macquarie just named stuff after himself. At least 3 examples on this early map’
1857 map of Italy - by Alexandre Vuillemin
1893 Ottoman map of Asia
1864 geological map of England and Wales - with railways
1864 geological map of England and Wales - with railways
‘What I find fascinating is the geological data. What an amazing hodgepodge!’
1893 Ottoman map of Europe
1893 Ottoman map of Europe
‘Are the long lines between words just a way of writing across the whole country or sea?
Noooooooooooooooorway
Mediterraaaaaaaaaaaaaanean Sea’
1893 Ottoman map of Australia
1875 map of the Pacific - by Adolf Steiler
1875 map of the Pacific - by Adolf Steiler
‘Love Pacific maps. They’re just about the only area of the world where I still always learn something new. Particularly like how this one has highlighted different archipelagos/territories. Makes them easier to remember. Also I didn’t realise the pack ice went that far north in 1875! So close to Tierra del Feugo and encircling Macquarie Island!’
1886 map of Auckland
1875 map of the United States - by Adolf Steiler
1875 map of the United States - by Adolf Steiler
‘Ever notice that every adolf you hear about is pre 1930?’
1875 map of Australia / by Adolf Stieler
1875 map of Australia / by Adolf Stieler
‘Adolf! Now there’s a name you don’t hear very often!’
1857 map of Kansas
1857 map of Kansas
‘Squares inside of a square
It’s almost like farming works best in a square, to maximize effective space and construction of roads and fences
You’ve obviously not been in the eastern part of Kansas: it includes the Flint Hills, and the Osage cuesta ecoregion, especially the northern sections, are anything but flat. Triangles, circles, and other geometric shapes are harder to construct without there being leftover space, and let’s face it: land was money even back then. The decision to lay out the grids were simply a convenience to the surveying technologies of the day that made it much easier to lay out straight lines rather than follow the contours of the land, which probably would have made more sense as far as long term land management practices….’
1891 Japanese map of New Zealand
1802 map of Kangaroo Island
1899 map of New Zealand
1856 map of Australia; Victoria, and New South Wales
1856 map of Australia; Victoria, and New South Wales
‘North Australia seems like it would be pretty rad!
Apparently North Queensland wants to secede from the south and become the 7th state’
1856 Desilver map of Central America
1819 map of Asia and Oceania
1819 map of Asia and Oceania
‘Interesting it’s still referred to as New Holland with ongoing British colonisation
No. Perth, in Western Australia, was not founded until 10 years after this map, by the British. Also Adelaide in South Australia, and even Melbourne in Eastern Australia.
The east coast of Australia–unmapped by the Dutch–was mapped by James Cook in 1770 and thus known as New South Wales. Sydney was established in 1788. So it’s correct that the other three coasts of Australia were still known as New Holland.
It’s a lesson in how things can be named but not recognised as belonging to a particular power until they are colonised, since actual use of the land supposes an entitlement to it.
The Dutch were great explorers and commercial agents but since they found no commercial use in Australia they didn’t have any need to assert a claim to their discoveries.
Australia is a fascinating lesson in this aspect. The same applies to New Zealand which the Dutch discovered 127 years before Cook fully mapped it on his way to Australia. If the Dutch had behaved differently they would have exerted more influence’