Early and important map of the south eastern United States. One of the earliest maps of the region to be published in the U.S.

Covering North and South Carolina, Georgia, and modern Alabama and Mississippi, the borders of these States, particularly Georgia, were subject to dispute and turmoil at the time of the publishing of this map. A dotted line, roughly corresponding to the modern western border of Georgia, is labelled “all west of this line claimed by the United States and also by Georgia.” Georgia’s claim is based on the original grant given to General Oglethorpe by George II when the colony was established. Realistically, the English claimed all the land from the east coast to the Mississippi and the new State of George felt that they were entitled to the same borders; hence on this map, the region west of the above mentioned line and the Mississippi is labelled “Georgia Western Territory”.

The situation was even more complicated by the notorious Yazoo Land Scandal, when local government officers in Georgia had fraudulently sold Native American Indian lands to investors at very inexpensive prices. These lands had been originally guaranteed by a series of Treaties with the United States. Attempts were being made to reverse these sales but the case had gone to litigation by the time of the publishing of this map, adding to the Federal Government’s headache. Despite Georgia’s claims, the United States were not going to return the lands and local politicians were in very bad odour at this time. Georgia was forced to cede the land to the United States in 1798 and the area was “organized” into the Mississippi Territory in the same year. Although Georgia finally gave up her claims in 1802 the legal case would not resolved until 1810, shortly after which the whole region would be split into the States of Mississippi and Alabama, admitted into the Union in 1817 and 1819 respectively.

Bradley’s map is one of the finest and earliest obtainable American maps of the south-eastern United States.