Reality Matters

Maps Then & Now

Maps and models of the world that surrounds us have been around for a very long time. In this section, you can explore a timeline of maps and mapmaking from ancient times to the future of mapmaking.

The idea of where there is from here is one that has fascinated people the world over. Maps and the rules of making maps have changed and developed over time. Investigate the timeline of mapping development in five periods:

Global perception maps are just as dependent on individual values as neighbourhood localized mental map. For instance, some families are very aware of their heritage and ancestors, so their mental map of the globe may be very accurate in the area where their family originally came from.

But what shapes the values that shape our mental maps? The media advertising such as in newspapers, magazines, and television is a huge part of how our values are shaped. If people were asked where they would like to travel for a vacation if they could go anywhere in the world, one place might be Australia. Find Australia on a world map. Newspapers and television make Australia sound like a wonderful place to go to the beach, see different wildlife and plants, and certainly it is a wonderful place to go and see all those things.

But what about Africa? Countries in Africa like Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and South Africa (find these countries on a map) are located at approximately the same latitude as Australia, and all but Botswana have coastline but how often do you hear someone saying how much they’d like to go to Namibia for a vacation? Why is that? One reason is that Namibia isn’t marketed to us as a vacation destination.

Hands on Activity

Draw a mental map of the world. Examine your map, what does it show? Trade mental world maps with someone else? What does their map show? Why would their map be different than yours?

Cartography

Cartography is traditionally defined as the art and science of maps. Cartography is also much more than that; it is the making, the study, and even the use of maps.

Cartographers are all sorts of people. They are teachers and educators, map curators, and librarians. They work in governments, in schools, and in private businesses. Cartographers provide a very important service in the world today, as they have for thousands of years, in creating a visual representation of the world in which we live.

Explore this section to learn more about cartography, who cartographers are, what skills they have, and what kind of subjects they studied in school. Throughout this section, click on the video clips to listen to interviews of real cartographers, and other professionals who use cartography in their jobs every day!