1778 Zatta 12-Sheet Map of the United States (Revolutionary War)

United Colonies: First printed map devoted to the 13 states.

This is a beautiful example of Antonio Zatta's 1778 12-sheet Revolutionary War era wall map of the United States - significant as the first printed map dedicated to the thirteen states, here distinguished from their former status as 'British Colonies' by the new term 'Colonies Unite' or 'United Colonies.'

A Closer Look

In 12 roughly even sheets, this map embraces the major theaters of the American Revolutionary War (1775 - 1783), extending from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Seaboard and from the Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico and Florida. Insets offer additional details on Jamaica and Bermuda. Although presented here as separate sheets, the map is on a uniform scale, with one map flowing into another so that they can be joined as a single enormous wall map.

The map is derived from John Mitchell's (1711 - 1768) Map of the British and French Dominions in North America, considered the most important map in American history. Mitchell's map provided source material for most subsequent maps well into the post-Revolutionary period. Here, the Mitchell map was taken up by Zatta, who updated it to 1778, with significant detail associated with the end of the French and Indian War (1754 - 1763) and the early engagements of the American Revolution.

The former British Colonies in North America are here renamed 'Colonie Unite', a term derived directly from the Declaration of Independence, where the term 'United Colonies' was introduced. This name, although rarely seen on maps, was in use until 1781, when the Articles of Confederation were ratified and the name 'United States of America' was universally adopted.

Otherwise, the map follows Mitchell in illustrating a pro-British perspective. It includes grants for North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia extending from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. The map recognizes Spanish authority over Louisiana, as settled after the French and Indian War. Major roads are noted, including some extending westward into American Indian lands. Throughout, there are extensive annotations, some lifted directly from the Mitchell map, but others added by Zatta to reflect the events of the Revolutionary War - these are especially prevalent along the Atlantic Seaboard.

Publication History and Census

This set of maps was engraved in 1778 and published in Antonio Zatta's Atlante novissimo. Zatta's atlas is well-represented institutionally, but the separate maps, in a uniform set, as here, are scarce on the market.

Cartographer

Antonio Zatta (1722 - February 16, 1804) was a Venetian printer and publisher whose illustrated books and atlases made him a leading figure in late 18th-century Italian publishing. Born in Venice into a printing family active since 1656, he attempted to relocate to Rovereto in 1752, but Venetian authorities blocked the move. The merchant Amedeo Svajer financed his early ventures. His connections with the Jesuits, including publications defending the order under false imprints (1760 - 1761), attracted controversy, although these ties weakened during the 1760s. Geography became a major undertaking: he published Anton Friedrich Büsching's Nuova geografia in 34 volumes (1773 - 1782), followed by the four-volume Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto (1779 - 1785), comprising approximately 240 maps. Portions appeared separately, notably Le colonie unite dell'America settentr.le, an Italian adaptation of John Mitchell's 1755 map. His geographical publications also included Cook's voyages (1794 - 1795) and the map-illustrated political periodical Prospetto degli affari attuali dell'Europa (1788 - 1801). Beyond cartography, he published literature, medicine, and Buffon's natural history (1782 - 1791), cultivating collaborations with leading Venetian illustrators and engravers. His sons Giacomo and Giovanni joined the business in 1783; the printing house closed shortly after his death.   Further Details...

Source

Zatta, A., Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto sulle osservazioni, e scoperte fatte dai piu celebri e piu recenti geografi, (Venice: Presso Antonio Zatta) 1779 - 1784.    

Condition

Very good. Some sheets exhibit slight foxing. Size is if joined. Individual sheets are about 14.25 x 19.5 in.

References

Rumsey 11598.000. New York Public Library, Map Div. 97-6152[LHS 550e; in atlas case]. Portinaro, P., and Knirsch, F., The Cartography of North America 1500-1800, p.262-278. Shirley (BL Atlases) T.ZAT-1a #27-38. OCLC 50800989.