The World Described: How Europeans Viewed not just Africans, but also Africa, as a Commodity
Dublin Core
Title
The World Described: How Europeans Viewed not just Africans, but also Africa, as a Commodity
Subject
The minds of Europeans during the eighteenth century
Description
This map, part of a larger set titled The World Described, depicts how Africa was seen as a commodity by of Europeans. For example, the western coastline has been divided into zones labelled "Grain," "Ivory," "Gold," and "Slave Coast," which shows that Europeans not only enslaved Africans, but also took over much of Africa itself to exploit for their own gains. Furthermore, this highlights the racial prejudices towards Africans developing throughout the mid-1700's; around the time this was published, Europeans began to believe that they were superior to others because of the nature of their birth. This view permeated western philosophy throughout the eighteenth century, eventually leading to the idea that the European brain was in some way superior to the non-European mind.
Creator
Herman Moll
Source
The World Described, created by Herman Moll
Moll, Herman. The World describ'd; or, a new and correct set of maps, by H. Moll. The British Library, https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/the-world-described-by-herman-moll-1708-1720. Accessed 29 Jan. 2020.
Publisher
The British Library
Date
1730
Contributor
Nick Masterman-Bellflowers
Relation
Map of the Known World in 1719, From the Perspective of Europeans
Robinson Crusoe
Robinson Crusoe
Format
Atlas
Language
English
Type
Map
Identifier
System number: 004959135
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Map
Physical Dimensions
Approximately 40 cm x 80 cm
Files
Citation
Herman Moll, “The World Described: How Europeans Viewed not just Africans, but also Africa, as a Commodity,” Enlightenmens, accessed February 7, 2023, http://enlightenmens.lmc.gatech.edu/items/show/208.