Background Information:

Carey & Lea's Atlas is highly prized not only for its cartographic information but the marvelous information about each of the states and territories which is included. The atlas was issued in 6 editions in English, French & German between 1822 and 1827.

This map shows the waning period of colonial occupation in the Americas, each island is shown colored in the distinctive shade of its respective European "owner" - yellow for Spanish, green for the Dutch, and red for the British. Interior details are scarce, with place names confined largely to the coasts, but numerous navigational hazards and keys are depicted. The Bahamas was still under British colonial rule and a haven for escaped slave from the Florida. The site of Columbus' landing in 1492 is noted on Cat Island.

The map demonstrated the interconnection of these West Indian islands.

Surrounding the image are numerous paragraphs of text detailing the region's geography, climate, political organization and history.

Considered the best Western Hemisphere atlas of nineteenth century America the publication was issued in six separate editions and three different languages between 1822 and 1827. -

The inspiration of the atlas's style of a map surrounded by blocks of informative text and tables of statistics was copied from an earlier European atlas by Emmanuel Las Cases [A. Lesage]

This and the other maps in the atlas were issued at a time of political upheaval in the Americas, and the detailed maps accompanied by extensive text provide a unique, often insightful, perspective on the problems and possibilities.
Antique hand colored engraved map of Jamaica, Caribbean, from from Carey and Lea's A Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas.

Reference: P1373a; Howes C133, Rumsey CM1794