GIS and the Revolutionary War
The Geography of Independence
Preliminary activity: setting up a map for printout
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Topic: the relationships of population centers to the fighting
GIS skill: select by value, make buffer around
validation
Base layers: 13 colonies (statename), large cities (pop 1790), battles
(by name)
Tasks:
1. Using the Analyze function, portray the cities with populations
greater than 25,000.
2. Create a buffer of 50 miles around each city identified in step 1.
3. Using the metadata, determine the number of battles taking place within those
buffers.
4. Display your results in a New Jersey State Plane projection, set to a scale of
1:2,000,000.
5. Show these layer titles: (1) “13 colonies”
[black outline]; (2) “largest cities” [square-red80]; (3) 50-mile buffers [blue – line 2]; (4)
“buffer battles” [X-purple-80]
Create a printout map
6. Set your map to a portrait layout. Entitle your
map “Battles and Population Centers.”
7. Set your scale bar to ‘miles.”
8. Using complete sentences, write a short
paragraph of 30-40 words, explaining what you
learned from the map.
9. Create an MLA heading showing your name, teacher, class and date, setting
the heading in the upper left-hand corner of the map.
10. Save your map to the desktop, using your last name. For example,
“Branting1.jpg.” This document will be the one graded. Proofread your work
well before saving.
Topic: the role of regionalism and geophysical features in the Revolutionary War
GIS skills: select by value, clip features
validation
Base layers: 13 states (subregion), US_physicalregions, battles
Tasks:
1. Create a new layer showing the “South” subregion of the
colonies.
2. Create a new layer showing the Applachian highlands region on
the continent.
3. Create an intersection of 1 and 2.
4. Create an intersection of step 3 with the battles of the Revolution.
5. Display your results in a North Carolina State Plane projection, set to a scale
of 1:10,000,000.
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GIS and the Revolutionary War
The Geography of Independence
6. Show these layer titles: (a) “13 colonies” [black outline]; (b) “Southern
colonies” [uniform yellow-60% transparent]; (c) “Southern Appalachia
[uniform blue-60% transparent]; (d) “So Appalachian battles” [square-red-70]
Create a printout map
7. Set your map to landscape layout. Entitle your map “Battles of Southern
Appalachia.”
8. Set your scale bar to “kilometers.”
9. Repeat steps 8-10 found under assignment #1 above. Save your map as the
second for this set of activities. For example, “Branting2.jpg.”
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Topic: the balance of victories in the Revolutionary War
GIS skills: select by value, statistics (Σ)
validation
Base layers: 13-colonies, battles
Tasks:
1. Create two (2) new layers showing the “American victories” and
the “British victories” with separate symbols and colors of your
choice.
2. In your map comments, identify (a) the state to see the most
American victories, (b) the state to have the most British
victories, (c) the city with the most battles, (d) the county in which the most
battles occurred, and (e) the British commander most often involved.
3. Set your scale bar to “kilometers.”
4. Repeat steps 8-10 found under assignment #1 above. Save your map as the
third for this set of activities. For example, “Branting3.jpg.”
Topic: the shape and effects of the Treaty of Paris, 1783
GIS skills: using maps to answer historical questions
Base layers: 1783 treaty, U.S. states (name)
Tasks:
1. Determine the reason why the treaty drew
the western boundary of the United States
as it did in 1783.
2. What future state was not totally included
within the boundaries of the treaty?
3. What effect(s) did natural features have on
the boundaries of the new nation?
4. Create a map that explains your answers to
these questions. Add whatever new layers
you need to explain your answers. Layers
can be from any library.
5. Set your map to landscape layout. Entitle your map “A New
Country Takes Shape.”
6. Use no less than two (2) text boxes to explain your map.
7. Save your map as number 4. For example, “Branting4.jpg.”
validation
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