The illusion of knowledge: the evolution of early cartographic conceptions of Alaska

The illusion of knowledge: the evolution of early cartographic conceptions of Alaska

Sherman, Neva

Date: 2006-08

Type: Thesisma

Table of Contents: Introducton -- 1. Theoretical cartography : putting America, and the North Pacific Region, on the map -- No American continent -- North America as an Eastward extension of Asia -- The North American continent appears -- Strait of Anian -- Exaggerated islands -- 2. Experiential cartography : Russia reaches out -- Dezhnev expedition -- Atlasov expedition -- Evreinov and Luzhin expedition -- First Kamchatka expedition -- Gvozdev expedition -- Second Kamchatka expedition -- 3. Creative cartography : secrecy, apocrypha, and misinterpretation result in more fiction than fact -- Delisle's account -- Fonte's apocryphal expedition -- Delisle-Buache June map -- Delisle September map -- Buache map -- Russian rebuttal -- Mead maps -- Muller map -- 4. From practical to pretend cartography : Russian reach resumes, yet secrecy again leads to speculation -- Krenitsyn-Levashev expedition -- Nagaev map compilation -- Staehlin's map -- Conclusion -- References.

Abstract:

The evolution of early cartographic conceptions of Alaska is marked by rises and falls in the advancement of knowledge, due to factors including the power of cartographers to perpetuate geographic speculation, unsuccessful expeditions of exploration, bureaucratic policies of secrecy, and purposeful deceit. This thesis examines that evolution, from the first appearance of western North America on world maps in the sixteenth century, through Russian expeditions to the region, to Captain James Cook's accurate mapping of the extent of Alaska in the eighteenth century, analyzing the factors that influenced Alaska's cartographic depictions and the real-life implications of those depictions. The maps that preceded Cook's are highlighted, placing Cook's cartographic contributions in context.