Project Critiques

Review of Invasion of America

Jesse Aragona 

http://usg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=eb6ca76e008543a89349ff2517db47e6/. Project Director: Claudio Saunt, Russell Professor of History at the University of Georgia. Reviewed, Made for eHistory.org. Reviewed Feb 4 2019 

Invasion of America is an interactive map of the United States, showcasing the westward push of settlers into America’s heartland while also showing the loss of Native Lands. The map consists of three colors, the gray is unceded territory, the blue is for Native lands, and lastly the red represents reservations. The map itself is a simple as it is effective, allowing the user to add or remove layers, adjust for time to view the contemporary or the historical, and even has a search system to locate individual nations within the map itself. Beyond features unique to this project the map has standard zoom, and movement features that any standard digital map has, allowing for adjustment to the screen.  The details however are what give this project its meaning as the map allows those who interact with it to watch a visual representation of the losses experience by Natives at the hands of the ever-expanding United States.  The ability to track specific tribes allows for a more intimate look at this process, helping to break down the mass of loss of land and life into a more easily digested smaller chunk. Allowing for this break down not only allows a closer look at the individual nations, but also does an excellent job of maintaining the necessary scope to tackle such a vast project. Aside from the visuals, the project also provides a rather well written introduction about the map itself and the events it describes. The importance of this project isn’t lost in its appealing visuals and interactive design, instead the map itself serves as a grim reminder of an incredibly dark, and rarely discussed chapter in America history. Remembering the tragic events of our nation’s past against the back drop of the current state of Native affairs in regards to reservations is a stark reminder for all of us to do better to help those marginalized. 

The map as a whole
Using the search tool to find the Kiowa Nation
Comments Off on Review of Invasion of America