Geographic Information Systems and History HIST 6001 Historical Methods and Interpretation 7 September 2004 GC&SU Doug Oetter Dept. of History and Geography

History and Geography History chronicles and explains changes over time A good understanding of historical events requires comprehension of the context of the events The spatial dimension (geography) must be examined through time as well Maps are the best way to portray past events in a spatial context

Historical Mapping Cartography is the science of map-making There is a long tradition of making maps for exploration, trade, travel, and geopolitical pursuits Many older maps remain in atlases or wide variety of archives and collections Translating the information from maps can be as valuable as capturing other primary sources Modern mapping techniques allow historians to report on past changes

Historical Maps

Historical Maps

Historical Maps

Maps and Mapping Maps allow us to convert 3- dimensional spheroid into 2- dimensional map

Maps Advantages –Graphic representations with symbolic language –Show spatial relationships with great efficiency –Can be changed through time and space –Useful to laypeople as well as scientists Limitations –Maps can never be completely accurate, because the world is contantly changing, and they necessarily leave out detail –Map distortion is inherent due to Earth’s curvature Either Shape, Area, Distance, or Direction is compromised

Map Making Methods Draw by hand Adapt from another source Pre-made, editable map software –Cartesia & Adobe Illustrator Geographic Information Systems (GIS) –Complete spatial database for mapping and geographic inquiry

Why Make Maps on a Computer? Digital storage Easy to update Easy to add information Accurate Simple to adapt for multiple users and multiple media

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Computerized data management system designed to capture, store, retrieve, analyze and report geographic and demographic information

Geographic Information System Components Hardware –Digitizer, computer, plotter –Global Positioning Satellite Software –Grass, MapInfo, ArcView, ArcGIS Data –Analog data (maps, tables, images) –Digitial data (shapefiles, coverages, grids, raster images) Users

GIS for Higher Education Information available from ESRI

Models for Spatial Data Vector Raster © Paul Bolstad, GIS Fundamentals

Vector

Raster Scanned Maps

Dimensions of Geographic Information Spatial –What is the shape? –Where is it? Thematic –What do we know about that place? Temporal –When was it like that? –How will it change over time?

GIS Software- ESRI ArcGIS ArcGIS Desktop Software –ArcView—data visualization, query, and analysis capabilities –ArcEditor—a powerful data creation and editing environment –ArcInfo—the professional GIS of choice for data automation, geoprocessing, and analysis

ArcGIS Arc Map –Viewing –Map creation

ArcGIS Arc Catalog –File maintenance –Viewing layer details –Arc Toolbox

Using Digital Imagery Digital Maps Digital Raster Graphs –Scanned and geo- registered USGS topographic maps Digital Orthophotographs –Geo-registered aerial photographs

Exploring Georgia Data Download data filedata file Unzip into a local directory Open ArcMap and ‘Connect to Folder’ Load in different data layers Pan Zoom Display legend Attribute table Attribute query

Mapping Exercise Memory Hill Cemetary, Milledgeville MemoryHill/

Loading GPS Data NOTE: These instructions are for ArcView!!! Make X, Y, ID table in Excel Export to.dbf format Add file to ArcView as a table In View, Add Event Theme Convert event theme to Shapefile and save OR Have your GPS unit do it automatically!!

Map Production Basic map elements –Title –Scale –Legend –Orientation –Metadata

Going Further Acquiring data Generating data Spatial analysis Complex geographic solutions –ArcGIS Extensions

ArcGIS Tutorials ESRI Main Page ESRI Virtual Campus USGS ArcView Tutorials Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access TutorialsPennsylvania Spatial Data Access Tutorials List of GIS Tutorials at UC Berkeley

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History

Internet Resources for GIS and History