While early cartographers gave general depictions of Africa, British cartography made huge shifts in the paradigm of accuracy in map-making. The motives of cartographers remained the same, but the final production of maps represented a more concrete and detailed geography of Africa. This improvement in maps coincided with the founding of the African Association. The African Association’s political ties fed into the growing desire for more accurate maps and eventually furthering imperialism.[1] Beyond political goals, the Association fell into the grasp of the expansion of scientific knowledge during the Enlightenment, “the African Association also felt that it was the great failing of the Age of Enlightenment that…the geography of the Dark Continent remain almost uncharted.” [2]
British cartographer James Rennell led the way in satisfying the desires of the Association. By mapping Park’s discoveries, Rennell exposed the innacuracies of cartography prior to the Age of Enlightenment. Rennell was concerned with sticking to the staunch accuracies in the cartography of Africa. He took a “method of critical compilation” to proving and providing the accurate details of the geography of Africa.[3] His incessant, critical approach to cartography gained him prominence as a cartographer, “the highest authority in Europe.”[4] His map, A Map Shewing the Progress of Discovery and Improvement in the Geography of North Africa (1798), exhibits the change in cartography.[5] Maps of the Association were grounded in accuracy and concrete details. In this map, silences begin to take a large area of space, “‘silences’ enhance the credibility of what is shown.”[6] As silences were acknowledge, the accuracies of 18th century maps of Africa began to emerge, as “18th century maps were supposed to be based on reliable sources and to be objective and accurate in contrast to…earlier maps.”[7] Rennell’s changes played into the scientific attitude of mind with regards to cartography and earned him high status in intellectual society.
[1] Jeffery C. Stone, “Imperialism, colonialism and cartography.” Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 13, No. 1, (1988): 59.
[2] The Great African Expedition: A 21st Century Ethnographical Field Research of Africa. Julian Monroe Fisher. http://www.julianmonroefisher.com/greatafrica/
[3] Thomas J. Bassett and Philip W. Porter, “From the best Authorities’…” 377.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid, 368.
[6] Ibid, 383.
[7] Ibid, 370.
