Midterm

Introduction

For my midterm project, I decided to map the continent of Africa, focusing on its historical geography. The map I used, created by Henry Schenck Tanner in 1831, offers a glimpse into the continent as it appeared in the early 19th century. I sourced the map from Allmaps and utilized ArcGIS Online to recreate the regions of Africa during this time.

Sources

I used AllMaps Editor to find the map of Africa. Given the nature of this project, no data cleaning was necessary, as my focus was on creating a visual representation that doesn’t rely heavily on extensive data.

Processes

I first used the AllMaps Editor to georeference the historical map of Africa, matching points on the map to their corresponding locations on a current map. Next, I was able to view the results with my historical map overlaid on top of the current world map. From the Allmaps editor I was then able to use this reference map and extract it as an XYZ url. This allowed me to then transition into using ArcGIS Online. 

Utilizing ArcGIS Online, I first uploaded my georeferenced map. I then created my own feature layer, allowing me to draw out the boundaries and clearly visualize the differences between the historical map and modern-day features. My feature layer enabled me to outline the borders between regions, and I then created a sketch layer to label the names of the different regions as they were in 1831. I also wanted to make my graph interactive so that users can really see how the boundaries have changed overtime. I added a popup feature that displays the countries within each region when you click on the names of the regions on the map. Overall, the map I created provided a good approximation of what the continent of Africa looked like in terms of regional divisions at the time.

Presentation

To present my map, I chose the light-gray canvas basemap, as its simplicity helped enhance the clarity and focus of the map. I also changed the zoom of the historical map where it will appear once zoomed in on the continent of Africa more closely. This allows users to see a before comparison of Africa with just the borders from 1831 and names of the regions. Above also includes my embedded web map via and here is an additional link to my web app. I decided to add my imbedded web map first before any discussion so users can take time exploring first.

Significance

By applying my chosen digital approach, the primary insight gained is a deeper understanding of how Africa’s regional divisions and geography have changed over time. The comparison of historical and modern-day maps allows users to visually analyze the transformation of the borders and regional names. However, the distinct black lines dividing the map into four equal parts made it difficult to achieve accuracy in my line layer. As a result, I had to rely on my best estimates when drawing over certain regions and was unable to identify the names of some areas. In regards to the popups I created that was discussed in the processes section, since I implemented this manually, it may lack precision in areas where borders are close together. Despite some of these pitfalls, overall, this map helps contextualize historical shifts in geopolitical boundaries, providing a clearer understanding of how past regions have influenced the formation of present-day countries.

My midterm project relates to Digital Arts & Humanities as my focus is on using technology to enhance my understanding of history through a visual and spatial representation. My approach is more related to the digital arts than data science in particular because I am not focused on data analysis but am interested in interpreting historical maps and integrating digital tools in order to do this.