Author: H. Klockhoff
Date: 1780
(click on the map to zoom in)

Mapmaker H. Klockhoff includes only one military encampment in his map of the districts surrounding Philadelphia: the 1777-78 Winter Camp of General Washington’s troops (see Valley Forge Winter Camp on the next page). The British troops occupied Philadelphia, south of Valley Forge, beginning in September 1777 until the following June 1778. This occupation forced the Continental Congress to flee from Philadelphia to York, at the left edge of the map.

Valley Forge, located 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was chosen as the location of Washington’s winter camp. The location was easy to defend and offered protection to the Continental Congress temporarily located

to the west in York. Look closely at the map: Valley Forge is bordered by the Schuylkill River to the north, and another creek to the west. It also rests in a deep valley, making attack difficult for the British forces, especially

in the snowy winter months. Prior to the winter encampment, Washington and his troops had retreated from New York. The winter of 1777-78 marked a particularly low point in American confidence in the war and the troops suffered from a lack of food, money and clothing.

Click on the image to the left to access Map 1 Inquiry Worksheet which can be found on page 1 of the PDF packet.

Click on the image to the left to access a printable transcription of the excerpt from Washington Letter. The excerpt can be found on page 2 of the PDF packet.

Author: Sebastian Bauman
Date: 1782
(click on the map to zoom in)

The battle of Yorktown is considered the last of the Revolutionary War. This

map details the battle and also shows the new American flag in 1782. Towards the end of the war, the British had made a bold attempt to consolidate power in the Southern states, moving into Virginia. Under the command of Lord Cornwallis, the British made Yorktown their base of operations in 1781.

With the help of the French and their fleet of ships, the American forces had the advantage. Once it was clear there was no escape by land or sea, Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on October 19, 1781. The map shows the location of the British forces, in red on both sides of the river, and Yorktown surrounded by the forces of General Washington and Comte Rochambeau blocking off all land escape by the British.

Click on the image to the left to access Map 2 Inquiry Worksheet which can be found on page 3 of the PDF packet.

Author: Esnauts et Rapilly
Date: 1781

Map Facts
This map of the Battle of Yorktown shows a wider view of the Chesapeake Bay, and illustrates the aid the French troops gave to the Continental Army during the battle. Although not geographically accurate, it is possible to see the French and American troops complete encirclement of the British fortifications at Yorktown and Gloucester, as well as the French blockade of the Bay.

Past/Present: Comparing Digital Historic Maps
Both maps of the battle of Yorktown in this set have been georeferenced (given real world coordinates of latitude and longitude) and can be explored and compared to a modern map. In the viewer on your left, use the opacity toggle to go back and forth between the 1781 historic map and the modern map. This allows you to also compare the modern geography with the historic map.

Discussion Questions

• How does this map show the Yorktown area differently than the 1782 map on page 8? What is the main focus of each?

• As you compare the historic and modern maps using the opacity slider, what do you notice? Do you notice anything different about the location of Yorktown from the modern map?

Author: William Faden
Date: 1777
(click on the map to zoom in)

Philadelphia was the largest city in the American colonies in the 1770s, with a population of around 30,000 people (Boston’s population was only around 15,000 by comparison).

Philadelphia was the seat of the First and Second Continental Congresses from 1774 until 1781. The Declaration of Independence was signed there on August 2, 1776, officially severing colonial ties to Great Britain. William Faden (royal geographer to King George III) created this map of Philadelphia at a time when the British occupied the city. The British, under the command of General Howe, had taken Philadelphia in the hopes that it would help them strategically. The Continental Congress fled to York, Pennsylvania as a result of the occupation.

Philadelphia was central to the Continental cause due to its location as a

midpoint of the colonies. Delegates and information from the reaches of the colonies could travel to and from the city in similar amounts of time. The British quickly abandoned Philadelphia in 1778 when the French entered the war and Britain needed troops in other parts of its empire.

Philadelphia remained the seat of the federal government of the new United States until 1800 when it was moved to Washington DC (see Document Connection, pg 15).

The Battle of Germantown took place on October 4, 1777. While this battle was a defeat for George Washington and his army, it highlighted the increased professionalism and discipline of the American soldiers since the war had begun. The soldiers retired to Valley Forge for the winter shortly after this battle.

Click on the image to the left to access Map 3 Inquiry Worksheet which can be found on page 4 of the PDF packet.

Author: Andrew Ellicott
Date: 1792
(click on the map to zoom in)

Map Facts
This 1792 map was among the first printed plans of Washington, DC, the new seat of the federal government. Its location on the Potomac River, within two slaveholding states (Virginia and Maryland) was decided as a result of the Compromise of 1790. Thomas Jefferson and the southern states agreed that the federal government would take on state debts incurred during the Revolutionary War in exchange for the mid-Atlantic capital site instead of Philadelphia. The decision implied that the new federal government would not raise serious objections to the institution of slavery. Though Maryland surveyor Andrew Ellicott created this map, he based it on designs by French engineer Pierre L’Enfant who was appointed by George Washington to plan the new “Federal City” (later named the City of Washington).

Discussion Questions
• Locate both Philadelphia and Washington DC on a map of the states. Why was Philadelphia’s location important for the Continental Congress?

• Why was the location of Washington DC an important compromise between the northern states and the southern states?

Author: John Wallis
Date: 1783
(click on the map to zoom in)

“We have gone to the utmost lengths to favor peace”

            –John Adams, one of the negotiators for the Treaty of Paris

As its title tells us, this map reflects the new boundaries as defined in the Treaty of Paris which officially ended the American Revolution and acknowledged the independence of the United States on September 3, 1783. The treaty was signed after a year of negotiations, a fact that hints at the disputes, alliances, and agreements that had taken place since the war’s peaceful end. This map offers visual evidence of the nation’s geography by delineating state boundaries, Native American lands, and the remaining French and Spanish holdings. The final border of the new United States encompassed an area much larger than the original 13 colonies, extending much further west to the Mississippi River. Maps of the United States continued to change dramatically, especially in the 19th century as a result of westward expansion.

This map has been georeferenced (given real world coordinates of latitude and longitude) and can be explored and compared to a modern map. Zoom in and use the opacity toggle to compare the modern geography with the historic map.

As you explore, note the following:

Mississippi River: The Mississippi River became the new western boundary of the United States (colored green), with the territory to the west as well as Florida owned by Spain.

Old Proclamation Line: Under the Proclamation of 1763, the boundary of the English colonies had been along the Appalachian Mountains (colored orange). This line was intended to separate colonial settlements from Native American territories.

States: The new states had to negotiate their boundaries with each other. Boundaries would shift in the coming years. For example, New York state looks very different from its modern configuration and Vermont, still a part of New York and New Hampshire, became a state in 1791

Click on the image to the left to access Map 4 Inquiry Worksheet which can be found on page 5 of the PDF packet.

Special Instructions:

To answer the map inquiry questions, students can use the georeferenced version of the map on pg 18 or the digital image. 

Author: John Wallis
Date: 1783

Document Facts
The cartouche in the lower right of John Wallis’ map features symbols that

became national icons. On the left, George Washington walks alongside the figure of Liberty holding a liberty pole, while Athena (Greek goddess of wisdom) and the blindfolded figure of Justice assist a seated Benjamin Franklin on the right. The scene occurs beneath an American flag with thirteen stars and stripes. This was the first British map to illustrate the flag.

Vocabulary
Cartouche: An area on a map that often contains the map’s title and can include decorations, animals, costumed figures, etc.

Discussion Questions
• What objects do you notice in the cartouche? What people do you recognize?

• What objects in the cartouche represent symbols associated with the new United States? What did they mean to people living in the new country?