The “Five Ws” of the “who, “what”, “when”, “where” and “why” are used in analyzing maps which involves three stages of interpretation:
1. Sourcing and Contextualization (The “who” and the “when”)
Before looking at the geographic details, it is important to understand the background and history behind the map’s creation:
Creator and Purpose: Identify “who” made the map (i.e. a government, an explorer, a corporation) and “why”. Was it created for a certain use, to provide a visual explanation, etc.
Time Period: Identify when the map was created. Determine what major historical events, conflicts, or discoveries were happening at that exact moment.
Target Audience: Determine who or what does the map apply to.
2. Close Reading and Decoding (The “what” and the “how”)
The Center and Orientation: Look at the center of the map to determine which direction is “up” (North wasn’t always the standard; medieval European maps often put East on top).
Symbols and Legends: Decode the map’s key. Look to see how borders, cities, and natural features are represented.
Omissions and Blanks: Examine if anything is left out. Blank spaces often indicate unexplored territories (areas deemed unimportant by the creator), or lands whose Indigenous populations were being ignored.
Artistic Details: Analyze the margins and illustrations. They often reveal a society’s cultural values, fears, or ambitions.
3. Critical Interpretation (Also the “what”)
Maps can be used to connect to broader historical themes:
Distortion and Bias: Identify the scale of the maps. For example, European maps of the “old world” may exaggerate the size of the mother country to project power when compared to the "new world”.
Corroboration: Compare the maps with written primary sources (letters, treaties, diaries) for the same era to see if they tell the same story.
Change Over Time: Compare maps of the same region from different decades to track shifting borders, urbanization, or resource extraction.