America As A Map

http://www.libs.uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/1633m4.jpg

With a combination of both cartograpy and illustrations, this map gives a lot of insight into the perspectives of colonists at the time. The first aspect of the map that caught my eye, simply due to its size in comparison to the rest of the map (this size in relation to the rest of the map implies European domination over the New World), was the illustration in the upper left corner of the colonists’ settlements.  This illustration, with its high walls and bold outlines, immediately gives a sense of strength and fortification, so the question remains of what they are fortifying against. The wilderness on the map depicts various turkey, deer, mountains and waterfalls, and it appears wild and untamed.  Likewise, the Native American women in the bottom left is also depicted as primitive and wild. Just like the animals, she is almost completely naked, and she only has leaves to cover her. Furthermore, various European ships are shown at full sail approaching the New World while a small Native American canoe is shown almost as if it is in flight from the majestic European ships. This visual contrast between the strong, civilized European settlements/ships and the wild, primitive Native Americans is the most telling example of the European perspective and the origins of America. They viewed themselves as more civilized, and therefore more human, while they believed the Native Americans were barbaric (hence the walls to keep them out). As Babb said, “assertions of English superiority were replaced by assertions of white superiority”, so this early contrast between European and Native Americans is an example of what eventually gave rise to the American idea of white superiority.