Mapping America

Mapping America by
Read: August-September 2009

Full author details on their way - have lent this book to someone and can't find details online!

This book was about how America was graually mapped and settlers and explorers moved Westwards. It divided its focus between the cultural aspects of the process of settlement and the mechanics of mapping the new land.
The process of apping took place in a very systematical way - simly East to West, no matter what the terrain! While the process of surveying the land and mapping it was taking place, there were advances in getting a single unit of measurement recognised, and this aided the project.
Culturally the book also considers the change in attitudes towards land and land ownership. It is interesting to see this documented in America and then comparisons drawn to the rest of the world at the time.
Whilst the book allows you to see the American Dream building, it does not dwell overly on desire to own land and the consequences this had for indigenous people and inpact on society today.
An interesting book that goes into the detail of the process of mapping and development of a single measurement unit.