World Maps from Cabeza de Vaca's Era
Press for Clues
In 1530, Cabeza de Vaca thought North America (his Florida) was an "Island" separated from Asia by a narrow branch of the World's Oceans. He heard of great wealth and of a "Northern Sea" from Caddoan Indians at Houston, but never saw either. He later inspired Coronado to search for that tribe, and for DeSoto to seek that sea, in order to trade Spain's New World gold with China, the finest market on Earth.
DeVaca's Island of Florida             Another Map from that Era



England's Sea of China - 166715641544
Vaca's Story
State Index  
UGA Map Collection
More Ancient Maps



Press for Worldwide Magnetic Compass Variation AnimationEastward Coastal Depiction on Old Maps of North America



















The eastward distortion of North America's Coasts on maps drawn during the 1500's may well have been due to westerly compass declination (westerly magnetic variation, which causes a compass to point northwestward instead of due north) along those coasts, which was not understood for the next hundred years or so.

Maps drawn after 1702 depict America's shorelines closer to reality.

Native American Conquest        Conquest for Teens        A Story for Kids        Real Native Images