From site: Maps help us make sense of our world. A sampling of the Library of Congress Geography and Map Divisions 4.5 million treasures has been digitized and is available in Map Collections: 1500 – 2003. This activity introduces historical maps from the American Memory collections. A Primary Source Analysis Tool for analysis and note taking has been provided. The teacher can use the Teachers Guide to Analyzing Maps to find guiding questions and activity ideas.
What can be learned from historic maps? In addition to teaching geographic understanding, maps do an excellent job of illustrating change over time. They personalize history by giving evidence of familiar landmarks and of people, their beliefs, and the political policies of an era.