USGS Public Lands Survey Map

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This single-sided map shows: (1) The growth of territory of the United States from 1776 through 1965; (2) National parks and monuments, national forests, Indian Reservations, National Wildlife Refuge, and Public Lands (BLM), and (3) Principal Meridians and Baselines, Townships, and Ranges from the US Public Land Surveys.  Click to enlarge.

National Content Standards Addressed

Geography

The World in Spatial Terms

1. How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information.
3. How to analyze the spatial organization of people places, and environments on Earth's surface.

Places and Regions

5. That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity.
6. How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions.

Human Systems

9. The characteristics, distribution and migration of human populations.
13. How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the division and control of Earth's surface.

Environment and Society

14. How human actions modify the physical environment.
15. How physical systems affect human systems.
16. The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources.

The Uses of Geography

Knowing geography enables people to understand the relationships between people, places, and environments over time. The geographically informed person knows and understands:

17. How to apply geography to interpret the past.
18. How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future.

Social Studies

Culture
Time, Continuity, and Change
People, Places, and Environment
Power, Authority, and Governance
Production, Distribution, and Consumption
Science, Technology, and Society

History

1.  Chronological Thinking
2.  Historical Comprehension
3.  Historical Analysis and Interpretation
4.  Historical Issues--Analysis and Decision-Making

US History Era 3 - Revolution and the New Nation

US History Era 3 - Revolution and the New Nation

US History Era 4 - Expansion and Reform

Extensions

In addition, use this map in conjunction with other USGS resources shown to the left of this page and other resources at www.usgs.gov.

Using the Map to Teach About Lewis and Clark

Sample questions are included below with the accompanying image from the US Public Land Surveys map.

The image above shows the map legend.  Click to enlarge.

What year was the map made?  What does the map show?

The image above shows the territory of the original 13 states.  Click to enlarge.

Answer the following questions while examining the map and its legend:  

How many states were carved out of the "Territory of the Original Thirteen States?"  How many of these states existed when Lewis and Clark embarked on their expedition?  How many states were added while they were on their expedition?  Which ones were they?

What states did members of the Corps of Discovery come from?  Mark these on the map.

Which present-day states did Lewis and Clark travel through?  How many states did they travel through?  Which of these, and how many, were not states when they traveled through them?

How much of the present-day United States is covered by public lands?  Which states contain the most forest lands?  Which states contain the most national park and monument lands?  Which states contain the most Indian lands?  Which states contain the most "other" public lands?   Why?  What is the geographic and historical reason for these patterns?

Which states contain the least public lands?  

Why does the pattern of public lands exist?

Examine the Ordnance Act of 1787 and the Public Land Survey System that resulted from the Act.  Who signed the Act?  Why was it created?  After examining USGS topographic maps, answer the following question:  How the Public Land Survey System embedded on the present-day landscape and settlement?

Which states that Lewis and Clark traveled through eventually were surveyed with the Public Land Survey System?

Name the region on the map from which Lewis and Clark began their expedition.  What is the first region that they entered when they left St Louis?  How long after their expedition began did that region become a part of the United States?  What state(s) were the first that were carved out of the region?

What region did Lewis and Clark enter next?  At what point in their journey did they enter the region?  When did it become a part of the United States?  How long after their expedition ended did the region become a part of the United States?  When did the individual states making up this region join the United States?

Click to enlarge.  Which area east of the Mississippi River was not part of the United States when Lewis and Clark traveled?  When did it become a part of the United States?  When did it become a state?  

Click to enlarge.  How were the boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase set?

How did this territory become acquired?  How much, in dollars, was the "purchase?"

How many states were carved out of the Louisiana Purchase?  

How much time during the expedition did Lewis and Clark spend in the Louisiana Purchase?  

Using other USGS maps at left and other maps and resources, describe the landscape of the Louisiana Purchase and the landscape that Lewis and Clark encountered along each stage of the journey.  

How much of the journey was along a river?  Why?  When did the expedition leave rivers?  Why?

In your opinion, where was the most difficult part of the journey?  Why?  In which present-day state is the location you identified?

In your opinion, where was the most difficult part of the journey because of the natural terrain?  Why?   In which present-day state is the location you identified?  Were the difficulties posed by the terrain more difficult than other challenges?  Why or why not?

Click to enlarge.  Why was this piece of land, above, ceded by Great Britain to the United States?  What states were affected? Did Lewis and Clark cross into this area?  

What does "ceded" mean?  How did this territory become acquired?

If this area had not become a state, what major cities would not be a part of the United States?  What country would they have likely eventually become a part of?

Click to enlarge.  What physical feature does the eastern boundary of Oregon Territory follow?  In your judgment, was this a good boundary for a region?  Why or why not?

How did this territory become acquired?

How many states were carved out of the Oregon Territory?  How much time did Lewis and Clark spend in this region?  What states, and in what order, did the explorers move through?

In what modern-day state did they winter over on the Pacific Coast?  What state was the next closest to this outpost?  

Click to enlarge.  What physical features do the boundaries of Texas follow?  In your judgment, were these good boundaries for a region?  Why or why not?

How was this territory acquired?

How many states were carved out of the Texas?  Did Lewis and Clark spend time in this region?  How long after the expedition did  Texas become a country?  How long after the expedition was Texas added to the United States?

Click to enlarge.  What physical features do the boundaries of the Mexico acquisition follow?  In your judgment, were these  good boundaries for a region?  Why or why not?

How did this territory become acquired?

How many states were carved out of this region?  Did Lewis and Clark spend time in this region?  How long after the expedition did these states become added to the United States?  Which was the first one?  Why?  

When settlers moved into this region, did they follow Lewis and Clark's route?  Why or why not?  What routes would they have followed?

Click to enlarge.  Examine present-day Colorado from this map.  How many original regions did Colorado fall into?  How many countries had claim on Colorado during the past 300 years?  

Click to enlarge.  Why were Americans interested in purchasing this area?  

What was the old boundary line between the USA and Mexico?  What direction did the new boundary move?

What states did the Gadsden Purchase affect?

Click to enlarge.  Why were Americans interested in purchasing this area?  Was it popular with all Americans at first?  Why or why not?  When did it become more popular, and why?

Who did the Americans purchase this area from?   How long after Lewis and Clark's expedition did this area become a part of the United States?  How long after the purchase did the area become a state?  Why did it take so long?  Who were the principal explorers of this area?

If the United States had not purchased this area, name two other countries that would it likely be a part of today, and make a case for each.

Click to enlarge.  Examine a globe or USGS world maps to answer the following question:  Why were Americans interested in purchasing this area?  

When did more Americans become interested in this area, and why?

Who did the Americans annex this area from?   How long after Lewis and Clark's expedition did this area become a part of the United States?  How long after the purchase did the area become a state?  Why did it take so long?  Who were the principal explorers of this area?

If the United States had not purchased this area, name three other countries that would the United States would likely be a part of today, and state your reasons for each.  Advanced activity:  Name all countries that had a claim to North America between 1500 and 1850.

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