This readme.txt file was generated on 2022-05-16 by Melinda Kernik with additions by Len Kne ------------------- GENERAL INFORMATION ------------------- 1. Title of Dataset: Historical National Boundaries 2. Authors Jeffrey Kropelnicki Grace Johnson Len Kne (lenkne@umn.edu) Mark Lindberg 3. Information about funding sources that supported the collection of the data: Esri provided funding for the creation of this data set for inclusion in the Esri Living Atlas. 4. Geographic coordinate system: WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator -- EPSG: 3857 5. Overview of the data (abstract): Historical National Boundaries displays global national boundaries for the following dates (circa) in history: 1800, 1914, 1918, 1939, 1945, 1970, 1990, 2000. Boundary changes associated with World War I (1914 - 1918) and World War II (1939 - 1945) can be viewed by turning off all other layers and toggling between the two. Data for each layer comes from a variety of sources, including historical atlases and the Library of Congress website -https://www.loc.gov/maps/. The authors acknowledge that the location and timing of national boundaries is a continuous issue, and that not everyone will agree with the data proved by this resource. -------------------------- SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data: Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US)(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/) 2. Other versions of the data: The data are also available as a web service through ArcGIS Online: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=85e35d64d67f425c94ebca45dad6568a 3. Source list (organized chronologically from most recent to oldest source): United States Central Intelligence Agency. (2000). Library of Congress. Retrieved May 3, 2016 from https://www.loc.gov/maps/. Hammond World Map. (1992). Hammond Incorporated. 1971 Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide, 102nd Edition. (1971). Rand McNally & Company, Chicago, IL. The World Mercator’s Projection. (1944). Army Map Service, Washington, D.C. Invasion Study Map of Northern and Southern Europe. (1943). J.W. Clement Company, Buffalo, N.Y. acquired April 14, 2016 from http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247153~5515299:Invasion-Study-map-of-Northern-Euro?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No?&qvq=q:europe%2B1939;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=8&trs=10 Flapiethf. (2015). Wikimedia Commons, “French Indochina 1900 - 1946”, acquired June 7, 2016 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:French_Indochina_1900-1946-fr.svg Invasion Study Map of Northern and Southern Europe. (1943). J.W. Clement Company, Buffalo, N.Y. acquired April 14, 2016 from http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247153~5515299:Invasion-Study-map-of-Northern-Euro?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No?&qvq=q:europe%2B1939;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=8&trs=10 Rand McNally Popular Maps. (1939). Rand McNally & Company acquired April 14, 2016 from http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~247200~5515267:Rand-McNally-Popular-map-of-the-Cen?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No?&qvq=q:europe%2B1939;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=4&trs=10 Rand McNally & Company’s New Atlas of the World. (1918). Rand McNally & Company, Chicago-New York, U.S.A. The Rand McNally New Library Atlas of North America. (1914). Rand McNally & Company. J.G. Bartholomew LLD. (1914). An Atlas of Economic Geography. Oxford University Press. Wilkinson, Robert. (January 1, 1800). Africa including the Mediterranean. Rob Wilkinson, No. 58, Cornhill, London, UK acquired June 9, 2016 from http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~241798~5512738:Africa-including-the-Mediterranean,?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No?&qvq=w4s:/when%2F1800;q:world;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=15&trs=42# Wilkinson, Robert. (1800). A New Mercator’s Chart. Rob Wilkinson, No. 58, Cornhill, London, UK acquired June 9, 2016 from http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~241682~5512697:Mercators-Chart-?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No?&qvq=w4s:/when%2F1800;q:world;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=7&trs=42 Conder, T., and Millar, George. (1800). North America, agreeable to the most approved maps and charts. Acquired June 9, 2016 from http://umedia.lib.umn.edu/node/710401 4. Terms of Use: Data Repository for the U of Minnesota (DRUM) By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. https://conservancy.umn.edu/pages/drum/policies/#terms-of-use --------------------- DATA & FILE OVERVIEW --------------------- Historical-National_Boundaries.zip contains 8 shapefiles 1. Filename: Year_1800 (134 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 2. Filename: Year_1914 (202 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 3. Filename: Year_1918 (203 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 4. Filename: Year_1939 (222 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 5. Filename: Year_1945 (217 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 6. Filename: Year_1970 (236 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 7. Filename: Year_1990 (233 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) 8. Filename: Year_2000 (251 Polygons) (.cpg .dbf .prj .shp .shx ) -------------------------- METHODOLOGICAL INFORMATION -------------------------- 1. Description of methods used for generation of data: U-spatial grad student researchers consulted with colleagues from the University and beyond in selecting relevant historical maps. They georeferenced and digitized national boundaries shown on the maps using Esri ArcGIS Desktop software. Where boundary location conflicted between maps from the same time period, they consulted with experts from around the University to decide on a placement. The boundaries were then generalized to improve rendering speed in ArcGIS Online / the Living Atlas of the World. 2. Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: Experts from throughout the University of Minnesota and other institutions were consulted during the creation of the data layers. There is no consensus on the location of national boundaries through many of the years selected to be included in this dataset. On several occasions, experts disagreed on the timing and location of national boundaries and we chose one option to allow the layers to be finished.