[Schoolgirl Map Of The Western United States] - Civil-War Era 'Schoolgirl' Map Of The Trans-Mississippi West. Annie Porter

Mapmaking was an important aspect of middle and upper-class juvenile geographic education during the 19th century. The concepts of meridians, degrees of longitude, and firm territorial boundaries paired nicely with emerging themes of national identity and sovereign power that were emerging across the globe. This charming example of the Trans-Mississippi West was drafted by a student named Annie Porter, probably in 1862/1863 based on the presence of the Utah Territory and the lack of the Arizona Territory. Apart from an interesting boundary configuration, the iconic geographic features of the Rocky Mountains and The Great American Desert are presented. Sheet Width (in) 10.1 Sheet Height (in) 7.9 Condition Description Hand-drawn map in pencil on a hand-cut sheet of white paper. Several areas of old damp staining are visible in a few spots, concentrated along the bottom of the page. Signed in the upper margin. Blank on verso. Good condition overall.