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Publisher-reported update

2017-01-26

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a map that shows the a series of reproduced historical maps. The first maps, from Stephanius to Zaltieri, illustrate the emergence of the concept of a new continent of America. Behaims globe indicates the general belief that Europe and Asia were separated principally by water. Ruyschs map is one of the earliest that shows the discoveries of Columbus, Cabot, the Corte Reals and Vespucci. The Waldseemulle map and the Agnese map of 1540 depicts a new continent. The Ptolemy map of 1548 shows that to many people there was still the possibility that America and Asia were joined in the north. The next maps from La Cosa to Velasco, show how the shape of the northeast coast of North America was mapped. These maps show the early doubts as to whether the new discoveries were part of a continuous coast or merely islands in the Atlantic and the eventual resolution of these doubts. Desceliers showed that by 1550 the St. Lawrence estuary was known and that Newfoundland existed as an island. By 1610, the Gulf of St. Lawrence region was even more accurately defined and a great inland lake appeared on the Velasco map. The next five…

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