All About Cartography and Map Printmaking

It's become fairly common to hear stories of people following the instructions of a GPS device (either a standalone unit or an app on their phone) straight into trouble. For example, in New York City, a man followed the instructions, drove into a park, and got his car stuck on a staircase. A woman in Canada followed the instructions of her GPS unit straight into Georgian Bay (she escaped, but her car sank). Following the instructions of a GPS unit is easy, and some people believe these devices have completely replaced paper maps. However, they're not foolproof, which is why maps and mapmaking are important. Since at least about 700 B.C.E., the date of the oldest surviving map, humans have made maps to make sense of the world around them, and they continue to do so today.

Maps can initially look confusing, but they comprise a few basic components. Lines of longitude and latitude overlay the globe like a grid system. Every place on Earth has unique coordinates, with one number representing longitude and the other latitude, that combine to create the place's global address. Each map typically has a compass rose so that it's clear to the reader where the north lies on the map. Scale is also a vital part of maps because users need to know how much area the map represents.


A History of Cartography and Map Collections


Longitude/Latitude, Parts of a Map, and the Coordinate System


World Continents and Oceans


General Geography Games and Websites

  • Countries of the World Map Quiz: Students and adults can refresh their memory of the world's capital cities with this fun game.
  • World Game: Continents and oceans make up the basis of this game.
  • Worldle: Most people have heard of Wordle, the popular word game. Worldle applies the same simple structure to geography. A new game is posted daily.
  • Countries of the World: See how many countries you can name before the timer runs out.
  • Map Quiz Game: Players can choose three different difficulty levels for this game.
  • Capital Cities of Asia: This game helps players refresh their knowledge of Asian cities and countries.
  • Globe Master 3D: The difficulty in this game comes from the fact that no borders are drawn in.
  • Free Rice: World Geography: The United Nations sponsors this website, which allows players to practice their geography skills while also earning rice for famished regions of the globe.
  • Create Your Own Map: Users can make their own maps on this site.
  • GeoPuzzle: Fit the countries into place to help you remember where they are on the globe.
  • Map Puzzle: The entire world is the playing field for this interactive puzzle.