Catalog Archive
Auction 131, Lot 124

"[Lot of 5] No. 4 Map of North America [and] No. 8 Map of the New England or Eastern States [and] No. 11 ... Middle States and Part of the Southern. [and] No. 12 ...Chief Part of the Southern States [and] No. 14 … Western States and Part of Virginia", Mitchell, Samuel Augustus

Subject: North America, U.S. Regions

Period: 1839-44 (published)

Publication: Mitchell's School and Family Geography

Color: Hand Color

Size:
10.5 x 16.5 inches
26.7 x 41.9 cm
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The United States and Great Britain established in 1818 joint claim over the Oregon Territory - the region north of Spanish controlled Upper California up to the southern boundary of Russia's Alaska Territory at North latitude 54°40'. By the late 1830's this arrangement was beginning to fall apart. In the 1840's the expansionist Democrats, including their 1844 presidential candidate, James Polk, claimed the entire region for the United States. Their expansionist desires were expressed by Polk's famous campaign slogan, "Fifty-four Forty or Fight!" The slogan also became a rally cry for Americans desiring to settle the territory. Following Polk's election, the dispute was resolved by the 1846 Treaty of Oregon, which struck a compromise that fixed the U.S./Canadian boundary at 49º North.

This is a set of four regional state maps plus a map of North America. Each with dimensions as given except for the single sheet North America which is 8" x 10.3". This map shows a large Independent Texas extending to the 42nd parallel and the United States extending to the Pacific. Mexico is in control of Upper California. Alaska is Russian America with the Aleutian Peninsula labeled Alaska. Canada is depicted as British America and New Britain. Names numerous Indian tribes, major towns with good detail of major rivers, and a vague idea of the Rocky mountains. The Great Basin is here called the Sandy Desert. The regional state maps feature similar fine detial.

References:

Condition: B+

Good original hand coloring and dark impressions.

Estimate: $160 - $200

Sold for: $120

Closed on 3/17/2010

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