The United States of North America with the British & Spanish Territories according to the Treaty of 1784

Book Description

[London]: Wm. Faden, Feb. 11, 1785. Copper-engraved map, with full original colour, trimmed within platemark top margin, trimmed to platemark bottom margin, neatlines intact, mounted on silk mending a split at center fold, large lateral margins. 20 3/4 x 26 1/2 inches. The extremely rare fourth issue of one of the most important early maps of the United States Faden's sequence of maps of the United States represents one of the most important cartographic depictions of the newly independent republic. The present map is the fourth issue of the fourteen total appellations (including the parent plan and thirteen subsequent issues), and is one of the extremely rare first five appellations of this series which almost never appear on the market. The Faden sequence comprises a critical and fascinating series of historical documents regarding the political development of the United States, especially since each issue captures a distinct stage in America's process of transformative change. The present map depicts the United States with its new boundaries as determined at the end of the Revolutionary War, as ratified at the Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3rd, 1783. (The Treaty came into effect in April of 1784). The map is beautifully coloured to identify American, British, Spanish territories, and the coasts of Newfoundland, rich in cod then, to which the French were granted fishing rights. The Treaty of Paris settlement established the new United States from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. Unfortunately, the source of the Mississippi had not been determined, though the map provides two possible "Mississippi River by Conjecture" sites. Consequently, no definitive northwestern border could be determined. More relevantly, we note open western borders for every state from Georgia to Pennsylvania, except South Carolina. The boundaries between New York, the Iroquois Nation and Pennsylvania are non-existent, but Vermont, though not yet a ratified state, has been inserted between New York and New Hampshire, the beginning of a settlement of an old quarrel. Maine is part of Massachusetts and divided between the "Main" and "Sagahadok" regions. The land west of the Appalachians but east of the Mississippi, while theoretically apportioned to the United States, is shown to be in fact in the possession of the various native tribes. British hopes for this region lay very much with them. By the Treaty of Paris, Spain, who had allied themselves with France, took back possession of Florida from Britain, and the vast Louisiana Territory from France. England and Spain were now the predominant North American powers with the fledgling United States relatively minor. The composition is completed by an extremely fine title cartouche, which depicts a scene in which slaves prepare barrels, bundles and bales for export. This cartouche appeared on several incarnations of this map, and it points to a couple of interesting aspects of the British perception of America: one, America's continuance of slavery, declarations of rights and freedom notwithstanding, and two, the benefits of commerce to both nations. In fact, trade between the two countries resumed soon after the war, despite French protestations. Streeter Sale 3784; Stevens & Tree, "Comparative Cartography," in Tooley, The Mapping of America, 80(d), Philips, Maps, p. 865.

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