This small map of the young United States includes several important historical regions. One of the most unique and scarce features on early maps of the U.S. is the appearance of Franklinia. In 1785 settlers in present-day western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee organized a state government to be named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. Congress turned down their appeal but the fledgling state maintained a legislature and governor until 1788. This ephemeral state appeared on only a small number of maps into the early part of the 19th century. Another interesting feature is the region labeled Indiana that appears in what is now West Virginia. This land was a major contention between the private Indiana Land Company and the State of Virginia in the latter part of the 18th century. The argument over ownership of the property resulted in the Eleventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Indiana Land Company lost its claim to the land. Another uncommon regional name is New Iberia, the original Spanish settlement in the region of New Madrid, Missouri. The large Western Territory takes up present-day Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. A table below the title lists twenty states, territories, and governments (including Franklinia) with their founding dates. Engraved by B. Smith and published by Hamilton Adams & Co. This is the fourth state of the map, circa 1831. See our June 2015 newsletter article on the State of Franklin here, and our updated carto-bibliography here.

References: Dotson & Baker (OWA) #22.4; cf. Baynton-Williams (TMC-72) #15; cf. Phillips (Atlases ) #3532a.

Condition: B+

A dark impression with some minor foxing along the left border.