Yesterday I posted a link to data showing the rapid westward expansion of people settling the United States as demonstrated by the rise of farming. Pretty dull stuff if you’re not into statistics you might think!
Well 24 hours later and I stumble across the UNESCO World Digital Library which has a fantastic collection of documents and maps. Some very pretty ancient maps too:
I’ve loved looking at maps since childhood and would highly recommend Katherine Harmon’s book You Are Here: Personal Geographies and Other Maps of the Imagination
if you share this interest.
So browsing this online treasure trove I come across some superb examples showing how long people have been fascinated with exploring and colonising the American continent way before the days of the Wild West.
I’ve listed just a few in chonological order below that are all connected by this spirit of adventure and probably also a fear of the unknown:
- A Modern and Quite Precise Depiction of America (or the Fourth Part of the World) Dated 1562 and annotated in Latin it shows the first mention of California and also indicates just how much land there is to explore - anything above the southern seaboard states is marked “ulterivs hec terra incognita permansit” which according to an online translation site is ‘farther this earth unknown to stay to the end’. Very Lost!
- Map of California Shown as an Island 100 years later and Spanish explorers have still not determined if California is connected to the North American mainland. Perhaps if the ever-expected superquake does occur the state may well end up disconnected from the rest of the west coast.
- History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky Mountains and down the river Columbia to the Pacific Ocean An American classic - over 2 years of exploration to discover land and people previously unknown. Now you can read the original online.
- Emigrant’s Map and Guide for Routes to North America 50 years later and it doesn’t take a Corps of Discovery to adventure across the US. All you need is a handy map showing how and where to start your journey. But 300 years on from the first map and the inner reaches of the American continent are now marked as ‘Indian Territorium’ - Indian Territory.
I look forward to future additions to the collection.
America is a nation fond of religion and is built on the principle of freedom to worship. So it’s no surprise then that there’s a church for the tougher element keen to steer clear of ’stuffed shirt’ services: Cowboy Church.
“I do believe in my heart that God owns a Harley, you know, and it’s made of solid gold and pearl and it’s awesome. But he rides. I do believe God rides…”
I’ve been a little quiet the last two weeks being fully occupied with a new business venture. After 7 years of hard work and research I can now reveal the source of this distraction: www.cowboycountry.co.uk:
Cowboy Country is a unique wild west themed gift for line dancing fans, country and western music lovers, western movie buffs or anyone with an interest in the USA.
Visit the website now and you can buy your own piece of America, quickly, easily and - most importantly- legally.
How does it work?
Well back in the year 2000 I bought some land north east of the city of Holbrook, Arizona. Read the rest of this entry »
Beautiful Flickr group showcasing the work of over 350 photographers who enjoy “capturing the colorful, artistic beauty of the Southwest, influenced particularly by the Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California regions, as well as Mexico”.
Dive into the Group pool of photos and don’t forget Louis on TV tonight!
The biggest cowboy in America will say goodbye to the White House on 20 January 2009 and hello to a life of Secret Service protection. Asked by CNN’s Heidi Collins what he planned to do Bush replied:
No doubt I’m heading straight home. I miss Texas; I love Texas; I’ve got a lot of friends in Texas.
When interviewed by Stephen Applebaum about his latest Bush biographical movie ‘W’, Oliver Stone said of the outgoing President “We have some Bush in all of us…
He’s the kind of guy who represents an American mind-set of revenge, force, violence and greed. He condones it.
Whilst Stone is never going to be Bush’s biggest fan he does believe the Texan is going to be one of those Presidents we’ll all be talking about in years to come and if he’d had success in Iraq, Iran and Venezuela would have been next on the list. Bush has “produced heavyweight consequences” and it’s now down to Obama and his Democrat forces to change America for the better.
Some ‘Cowboy Bush’ highlights from the last 8 years:
Robert Burck must be a happy man now he’s settled his legal fight against chocolate maker Mars:
Burck, 37, sued Mars after a giant electronic billboard outside the M&M store at his Times Square stomping grounds flashed a blue M&M cavorting in his trademark cowboy hat, boots and tighty whities earlier this year. There was also a mural of a similarly attired yellow M&M in the store.
I saw Burck interviewed on Sky last week when Obama won, perhaps due to his status as a legendary New York cowboy. As the readers of the Post suggest, perhaps he’ll now treat himself to some new clothes as winter approaches.
You can read the full story behind the trademark battle at Jossip - it’s not a look I’d be keen to copy and I’m certain most enthusiastic London PCSOs would soon be escorting you to the nearest lockup.
