Indigenous Geographic Knowledge and William Clark’s 1814 Master Map of the West

Abstract

Published in 1814, William Clark’s master map of the West remained the most authoritative representation of western American geography until the 1840s. A groundbreaking piece of cartography, the accuracy and detail of Clark’s master map are still lauded by modern scholars today. Known primarily for his role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Clark drew on his own and other contemporary explorations in producing his map. However, the Indigenous knowledge embedded in Clark’s master map is what set it apart from earlier published maps of the West. Clark widely incorporated and appropriated the knowledge that Indigenous geographic informants shared with him during the Lewis and Clark Expedition into his master map. By consulting expeditionary records, including Indigenous maps and journal entries, the author illuminates the previously concealed Indigenous contributions to Clark’s master map.