Robert Laurie (1755-1836) & James Whittle (1757-1818), A New and Correct Map of the British Colonies in North America

Laurie & Whittle A New and Correct Map of the British Colonies in North America London, 1794 Engraving with original hand-coloring Sheet size: 20 1/2 x 27 3/4 in. Published in London on 12 May 1794, Laurie & Whittle’s New and Correct Map of the British Colonies in North America depicts British North America and the neighboring states of the newly independent United States. Produced by the London cartographic partnership of Robert Laurie and James Whittle, the map offers a detailed representation of the political boundaries, coastlines, rivers, lakes, settlements, and territorial divisions of North America in the aftermath of the American Revolution. The map is particularly significant for its portrayal of a continent undergoing profound political and territorial change. Although the United States had secured its independence in 1783, British possessions remained extensive in northern North America, while the boundaries between British territory and the American republic continued to reflect competing claims, diplomatic negotiations, and strategic interests. By presenting British colonies alongside the American states, the map captures the uncertain relationship between the two powers during the early years of the post-revolutionary era. Its engraved detail reflects the geographical knowledge and commercial cartographic practices of late eighteenth-century Britain. The original hand-coloring distinguishes territorial divisions and enhances the map’s visual clarity, while the network of waterways, coastal features, settlements, and routes illustrates the importance of geography to trade, migration, diplomacy, and imperial administration. The map also provides insight into how British publishers represented North America to contemporary European audiences, combining geographical information with the political perspective of an imperial power adjusting to the loss of its former colonies. As both a geographical document and a historical artifact, Laurie & Whittle’s 1794 map offers a valuable snapshot of North America at a pivotal moment in its history. It records not only the physical landscape as understood by contemporary mapmakers but also the enduring political significance of territory, boundaries, and imperial presence in the years following American independence.