{"id":24233,"date":"2021-05-31T00:04:36","date_gmt":"2021-05-31T04:04:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studentwork.prattsi.org\/infovis\/?p=24233"},"modified":"2021-05-31T16:55:54","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T20:55:54","slug":"the-history-of-map-visualization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studentwork.prattsi.org\/infovis\/visualization\/the-history-of-map-visualization\/","title":{"rendered":"The history of Map visualization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Map making or rather, cartography, is a field that has been dependent on visualization since before the common era. When tasked to curate a timeline for any theme in the history of visualization, I had a limited purview of what that meant. As I proceeded to research the earliest methods of visualization, the discoveries in cartography stood out the most. The shear ability trace so far back in time to see the evolution of visualization in cartography peaked my interest. As a result, I chose to dedicate my timeline to the history of map visualization by looking at the earliest forms of map creation, before common era (BCE), to the first known atlas in common era (CE). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Materials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Primary Data Resource<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Milestones in the History of Thematic Cartography, Statistical Graphics, and Data Visualization”<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Primary Tool<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timeline JS<\/a> by Knight Lab<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

To produce the timeline, I used a Google Spreadsheet template provided by the recommended tool for this project: Timeline JS. It’s an open-source tool used to generate interactive timelines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Timeline JS Software<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To get started, I watched Timeline JS’s video<\/a> to get better understand the limitations and affordances of their spreadsheet to quickly enter and upload the data to generate my timeline. From there, I scanned the overarching timeline of events ranging as far back as 6200 BCE<\/strong>. As I reviewed more content, I decided to build a timeline to showcase the dawn of map visualization (BCE to 1375 CE) because, as a constant user of GPS, I found it interesting to see how it all began. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon reviewing the data points from “Milestones in the History of Thematic Cartography, Statistical Graphics, and Data Visualization”<\/a>, I identified ten key moments<\/strong> that addressed foundational components of map visualization. These included the mapping routes, and using longitude and latitude amongst other elements such as calculating the circumference of the Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Data Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once I started to add inputs into the template, I also reviewed their technical documentation on the spreadsheet template<\/a> to better understand how to input dates for BCE and additional columns not addressed by the video. For example, when a row has a title, it explains that no dates are required for the row. I also re-used the background color used in the template for the non-title slides to make it easier to read the text for users that are light-sensitive. I opted not to use the “era” type because it would cause the software to remove the slide and only show the title of the event in the timeline section. <\/p>\n\n\n\n