Humans have instinctively broken the barriers and this inquisitiveness to see the unseen and know the unknown. It paved the way for the discovery of countries like America that literally changed human history. Have you imagined taking historical maps and moving to a mountainous area?
You must be laughing inwardly. What paper maps to do with the age of Google maps and advanced maps!
Yes, it is true that handmade maps, which were the possessions of ancient travelers, tourists, and even textbooks, are on the brink of extinction. There is no denying the fact. But it’s not completely true. These maps hold great interest to enthusiasts and travelers even today. They have their own advantages even in the age of smartphones and other digital gadgets.
Are you looking forward to the trekking adventure? You can take the help of the historical maps. They have some advantages, and we are going to discuss them all here for the sake of your convenience and knowledge.
Why Historical Maps Matter Even In This Digital World
Have you heard about David Rumsey? He earns a world record for collecting a mammoth 150000 or a similar number of printed maps! Yes, these numbers are huge.
Now you may tell that the person is an enthusiast and he has taken it as a mission in his life. This has nothing to do with the hi-tech age, so they are useless today. The question of pertinence is not important, but the value it holds today. Here we try to understand why these historical maps still matter to you.
1. Preservation And Restoration Of History
Human progression is anchored on the past, which is the ultimate truth. Therefore, if you want to develop tomorrow, you must preserve your past. We discussed Mrs. Rumsay and his collection. They might not be that important today.
But if you discuss the restoration of history, these maps are highly important. You can have these maps and preserve them for your posterior generations. It will inspire them for sure. You can get historical maps from Muir Way, a name in this realm.
They are experts, and they have been sharpening the art since their opening in 2013. They use materials like paper, canvas, and wood to print maps of mountain ranges, historical maps, and more. Get one for you.
2. Your Brain On Maps
There is a distinction between profound knowledge and surface knowledge. Where the experts have strong knowledge, the amateurish people have just the opposite.
If you are trying to find out the nearest airport, it does not take you a little to get there. You can search for the nearest airport location and reach your destination. If you are traveling to a city for a business meeting, you may not need deep knowledge of the place.
This is an example of surface knowledge. But if you want to know the history of the evolution of a place, then you could understand it through historical maps. If you take the help of historical maps, you can learn a lot, and your cognitive receptor takes them easier than digital maps, which are found through observation.
3. Improvement Of Geographical Knowledge
According to a 2013 study, it was found that the geographic skill of an individual grew much more when he/she used paper maps. Students are always more interested in the colorful images of maps in their textbooks rather than digital maps.
Though digital maps provide you with an accurate piece of updated information, it doesn’t improve the overall understanding of the knowledge. But the historical maps bear not only geography but provide a graphic illustration of the change that has undergone throughout decades and centuries. Discussing this aspect, these maps are no less than assets to an individual.
4. Understanding History
The historical maps bring one close to the yellow pages of history. These maps give an account of the topography of the place during the old times. It provides an idea or assumption that the historical events might have happened the following way.
For instance, if you consider the old map of Asia, you would find out that the tribes from the middle east attacked India by crossing rivers from the northwest. It means they had to cross the rivers to enter India as it was almost impossible to attack through the mighty Himalayas and the oceans (though the Europeans used ships to arrive in India).
You can understand by studying the terrains. This is how the maps indeed make things fascinating to enthusiasts.
5. Maps Mistakes
The key area where digital maps can be questioned is accuracy. Good digital maps are unquestionably better, but good paper or historical maps are far better than wrong digital maps.
According to a survey conducted in 2012, it is found out that Google Maps is 89% of businesses, and Apple Maps are 74%.
Now people can question that Google and Apple are spending millions of dollars to bring out these maps, but they are not serving the needs. But the historical maps provide a near-accurate description of the place, and hence they are sometimes safer, even compared to digital maps with the mistakes.
6. Gives A Fascinating Story About The Past
Historical maps are fascinating indeed. They give you accurate information about how a place was during the old time.
For instance, if you come across a historical map of New York City made back in the year 1910, you would understand the change that has taken place over the decades. The sense of change feels in the mind of the viewer with a lot of interest. This makes the historical maps interesting for people.
Putting The Discussion To A Close
There is no replacement for digital maps as they provide the most updated information. But if you are trying to understand history, then, in that case, you have to take the help of historical maps.
The historical maps bear with them the flow of history and take you to a better angle of viewing the present based on the past. You can not get this with modern maps.
