MAP
MAP
MapMaker: Early U.S. Cultural Landscapes
MapMaker: Early U.S. Cultural Landscapes
What can we learn about people from their food? From the names they give places?
Grades
4 - 12
Subjects
Anthropology, Human History and Cultures, Geography, History, Social Studies
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Learning materials
Instructional Links
In the early United States, Indigenous, European and African cultures traded ideas and words. The traditional foods and the modern place names in some of these regions provide clues about the people and cultures that came before.
In this activity, students will use maps to investigate the cultural heritage of four different borderland locations in the United States: Santa Fe, New Mexico; Albany, New York; New Orleans, Louisiana and Charleston, South Carolina. By learning more about the foods and place names, students can trace the cultural heritage of these unique American locations.
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Producer
Project Coordination
Reviewer
Curriculum Content Team
Anita Palmer - National Geographic Explorer, Project Leader and GIS Education Specialist
Chris Bunin - National Geographic Explorer, Subject Matter Expert and GIS Lead Designer
Barbaree Duke - Project Leader and GIS Education Specialist
Peter Trentacoste - Subject Matter Expert and GIS Designer
Georgeanne Hribar - GIS Designer and Reviewer
Tama Nunnelley - GIS Designer and Reviewer
Judith Painter - GIS Designer and Reviewer
Ashley Melville - Social Studies Program Specialist, Georgia
Last Updated
July 9, 2026
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