How does Priestley's New Chart of History represent geographic space?
Priestley's chart divides the world into 22 geographic regions, shown below in both chart space and actual map space. In the chart, some regions are allotted much more or much less space than they proportionally take up on earth. The contrast between the two representations highlights which geographic regions were overemphasized, thus mattered most in Priestley’s account of history.
The figures below show the world divided up into those 22 regions. We have created a map called a cartogram to resize the geographic regions to reflect their relative weight in Priestley’s chart. In the chart and cartogram notice, for example, how small America, China, and Africa are compared to France and Germany.
Hover over the chart or map to highlight the corresponding regions. e.g. America, Russia, or India.
Hover over the chart or map to highlight the corresponding regions. e.g. America, Russia, or India
Click the button to distort the map, showing geographic space as represented in Priestley's chart.