Scott's great snake. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1861

Image file

Scott's great snake

Caption

Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.

Catalog notes

A snake wraps around the Confederacy to make an economic and military strategy immediately understandable. This cartoon map interprets Winfield Scott’s blockade plan through a memorable visual metaphor rather than through sober staff-map conventions. Its smaller scenes reward close viewing and show how maps could participate in wartime public debate. It is a strong choice for explaining that a map can be geographically informative and openly argumentative at the same time.

Original catalog record, source and attribution