1824 Schoolgirl Manuscript Map of Illinois

An engrossing example of an early 19th century schoolgirl map, this manuscript work presents 1824 Illinois. It is based on Anthony Finley's map of the state, which demonstrates its rapid territorial evolution in the early years of statehood.

A Closer Look

Depicting Illinois, this map displays counties, cities and towns, waterways, hills, and other features. It reflects the state's internal divisions in 1824, only six years after statehood. It was being rapidly settled by migrants from further east and within the state from south to north. As settlers moved northwards, the state capital shifted in tandem. Illinois' first capital, Kaskaskia, can be seen towards bottom-left. By the time this map was produced, it had moved to Vandalia, in the southern part of the tall Fayette County illustrated here. By 1839, the capital moved again to Springfield, in Sangamon County. Within a handful of years, the northern part of the state, including Native American lands, would be parceled out to settlers and formed as new counties.

Especially notable are the 'Military Bounty Lands' in the state's northwest, which were set aside for veterans of the War of 1812. Also significant is the early appearance of Chicago along Lake Michigan towards top-right, along with its predecessor Fort Dearborn. The remnant lands of the Ottawa, Winnebago, and the Sac and Fox peoples, including several 'Indian Villages' are also noted.

Though highly reminiscent of Finley's 1824 map of Illinois, not every detail has been retained from the original. For instance, Finley's map displays roads running between the larger towns in the southern part of the state, which are excluded here.

Schoolgirl Maps

While the use of mapmaking in teaching is first seen in Europe, mainly England, the schoolgirl map became a peculiarly American pedagogical tool in the first part of the 19th century, a period in which standards and purposes in women's education were changing. While boys were frequently taught the practical execution of surveys and charts, the production of attractive and informative maps appears to have been primarily the domain of young women. Such maps can be found of the World, the United States, or more specific maps of individual states. These were usually based on generally available reference maps, such as those found in the atlases produced by Carey and Lea, Finley, and Mitchell.

The goals of these exercises were more far-reaching than teaching geography. Girls learned penmanship, each map often using three or more lettering styles. Mapmaking sharpened the retention and recall of factual information. Students were encouraged to take pains in their draftsmanship, and often achieved beautiful flourishes of artistic expression in their maps. But most peculiar to the American iterations of educational mapping was the goal of instilling a sense of civic pride and responsibility. Indeed, the key desired result of the education of girls in the post-Revolutionary-War United States was to prepare for the education of the next generation of American citizens, a patriotic duty which would primarily fall on the shoulders of these young women.

For a good overview of the topic, see Betty Mason's article, '19th Century Schoolgirls Were Incredibly Good at Drawing Maps,' published July 27, 2016 by National Geographic.

Publication History and Census

This manuscript map was drawn by an unnamed author and is based on Anthony Finley's map of Illinois that appeared in the 1824 (first) edition of his New General Atlas. As a manuscript map, it is an entirely unique production.