The Relative Sizes of the United States and the European Powers. All Shown on the Same Scale and Projection.
- Title:
- The Relative Sizes of the United States and the European Powers. All Shown on the Same Scale and Projection.
- Alternate Title:
- The Relative Sizes of the United States and the European Powers.
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Unknown
- Date:
- 1904
- Date 2:
- 2024-04-25
- ID Number:
- 2373.01
- File Name:
- PJM_2373_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1900 - 1919
- Subject:
- Deception/Distortion
Imperialism
Ethnocentrism
Spanish-American War
Unusual Graphics/Text - Measurement:
- 24 x 30 (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- For more than a century, persuasive cartographers seeking to enhance the relative significance of their countries have imposed the outlines of one or more other nations on a map of their own. For other examples in the collection, Search > "relative size".
This "Relative Sizes" map is one of the earliest. While the exact date and source publication are unknown, it appears (based on a chart, verso, showing the military strength of the world's major powers) that it was produced about 1904. This was the height of 19th-century American imperialism, shortly after the United States acquired the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico and gained effective power over Cuba. For other maps of American exuberance during this period, see generally Subjects > Spanish-American War.
The text under the map reflects the jingoism of the time, emphasizing details such as "Austria-Hungary does not nearly cover Texas" and concluding that the "amount of space left uncovered on the vast expanse of our country must be a surprise to all." In fact, “Russia” shown on the map is only the area of EUROPEAN Russia, thus silently omitting the two-thirds or more of that nation in Asia - an area far larger than the entire U.S.
At least three later versions of this map were published by George F. Cram, two in 1906 and 1914 still showing the Austro-Hungarian Empire and one in 1920 showing Czechoslovakia, created after World War I. The text accompanying these later versions refers only to "Russia in Europe" or “European Russia."
Cornell University Library is pleased to present this digital collection of Persuasive Maps, the originals of which have been collected and described by the private collector PJ Mode. The descriptive information in the “Collector’s Notes” has been supplied by Mr. Mode and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cornell University. - Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.