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John Melish (June 13, 1771 – December 30, 1822) was a Scottish mapmaker who published some of the earliest maps of the
Map of the United States of America: With the Contiguous British and Spanish Possessions, 1816
at the
John Melish (June 13, 1771 – December 30, 1822) was a Scottish mapmaker who published some of the earliest maps of the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
(US). In 1816 he created the first map of the United States extending to the Pacific Ocean.
Early life
Melish was born in Scotland on June 13, 1771. He worked under the tutelage of a cotton merchant inGlasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
and later tried to form his own cotton import-export company. Between 1806 and 1811, Melish made several trips to the United States, finally settling in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
in 1811. A year later, he published ''Travels through the United States of America, in the years 1806 & 1807, and 1809, 1810, & 1811'' documenting his voyages to the US with copious maps.
Philadelphia
Melish started his own map publishing company in Philadelphia. It was the first of its kind in the United States. His maps were inspired by his travels and fulfilled a contemporary need for accurate cartography.US President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
took note of Melish's maps, sending copies to associates in Europe. In 1816, Melish published an important map, ''Map of the United States with the contiguous British and Spanish Possessions'', which depicted the United States from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, thus implicitly staking a larger claim for the US than existed at that time.
Melish's books detailing the state of American manufacturing influenced Jefferson to adopt a point of view favoring manufacturing in the US, as opposed to shipping raw good to Europe for manufacturing into finished products.
Bibliography
* ''Travels through the United States of America, in the years 1806 & 1807, and 1809, 1810, & 1811'', 1812 * ''The Sine Qua Non: a Map of the United States, Shewing the Boundary Line Proposed by the British Commissioners at Ghent'', G. Palmer, printer, 1814See also
* Cartographer Henry Schenck Tanner, a contemporary of John MelishReferences
External links
Map of the United States of America: With the Contiguous British and Spanish Possessions, 1816
at the
World Digital Library
The World Digital Library (WDL) is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress.
The WDL has stated that its mission is to promote international and intercultural understanding, expand the volume ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melish, John
1771 births
1822 deaths
Scottish geographers
19th-century cartographers