In the image above, we see a slice of an impresÂsive pre-interÂnet macro-infoÂgraphÂic called a “HisÂtomÂap.” Its creÂator John B. Sparks (who latÂer creÂatÂed “hisÂtomÂaps” of reliÂgion and evoÂluÂtion) pubÂlished the graphÂic in 1931 with Rand McNalÂly. The five foot long chart—purportedly covÂerÂing 4,000 years of “world” history—is, in fact, an examÂple of an earÂly illusÂtraÂtion trend called the “outÂline,” of which RebecÂca Onion at Slate writes: “large subÂjects (the hisÂtoÂry of the world! Every school of phiÂlosÂoÂphy! All of modÂern physics!) were disÂtilled into a form comÂpreÂhenÂsiÂble to the most uneÂdÂuÂcatÂed layÂman.” Here we have the full descripÂtion of most every politÂiÂcal chart, graph, or aniÂmaÂtion in U.S.A. Today, most InterÂnet news sites, and, of course, The Onion.
The simÂiÂlarÂiÂty here isn’t simÂply one of form. The “outÂline” funcÂtioned in much the same way that simÂpliÂfied aniÂmaÂtions do—condensing heavy, conÂtentious theÂoÂretÂiÂcal freight trains and ideÂoÂlogÂiÂcal bagÂgage. RebecÂca Onion describes the chart as an artiÂfact very much of its time, preÂsentÂing a verÂsion of hisÂtoÂry promiÂnent in the U.S. between the wars. Onion writes:
The chart emphaÂsizes domÂiÂnaÂtion, using colÂor to show how the powÂer of varÂiÂous “peoÂples” (a quaÂsi-racial underÂstandÂing of the nature of human groups, quite popÂuÂlar at the time) evolved throughÂout hisÂtoÂry.
Sparks’ map, howÂevÂer, remains an interÂestÂing docÂuÂment because of its seemÂing disÂinÂteredÂness. While the focus on racialÂism and impeÂrÂiÂal conÂquest may seem to place Sparks in comÂpaÂny with popÂulist “sciÂenÂtifÂic” racists of the periÂod like Lothrop StodÂdard (whom Tom Buchanan quotes in Fitzgerald’s GatsÂby), it would also seem that his design has much in comÂmon with earÂly EnlightÂenÂment figÂures whose conÂcepÂtion of time was not necÂesÂsarÂiÂly linÂear. FolÂlowÂing clasÂsiÂcal modÂels, thinkers like Thomas Hobbes tendÂed to divide hisÂtorÂiÂcal epochs into risÂing and falling actions of varÂiÂous peoÂple groups, rather than the gradÂual ascent of one race over all othÂers towards an end of hisÂtoÂry. For examÂple, poet AbraÂham CowÂley writes a comÂpressed “uniÂverÂsal hisÂtoÂry” in his 1656 poem “To Mr. Hobbes,” movÂing from ArisÂtoÂtle (the “StaÂgirite”) to the poem’s subÂject Thomas Hobbes. The moveÂment is proÂgresÂsive, yet the hisÂtorÂiÂcal repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives of each civÂiÂlizaÂtion receive some equal weight and simÂiÂlar emphaÂsis.
Long did the mighty StaÂgirite retain
The uniÂverÂsal IntelÂlecÂtuÂal reign,
Saw his own CounÂtreys short-liv’ed LeopÂard slain;
The stronger Roman-Eagle did out-fly,
OftÂner renewed his Age, and saw that Dy.
Mecha it self, in spight of Mahumet posÂsÂest,
And chas’ed by a wild DelÂuge from the East,
His MonarÂchy new plantÂed in the West.
But as in time each great impeÂrÂiÂal race
DegenÂerÂates, and gives some new one place:
The periÂod of CowÂley recÂogÂnized theÂoÂries of racial, culÂturÂal, and natÂurÂal supremaÂcy, but such qualÂiÂties, as in Sparks’ map, were the prodÂuct of a long line of sucÂcesÂsion from equalÂly powÂerÂful and noteÂworÂthy empires and groups to othÂers, not a social evoÂluÂtion in which a supeÂriÂor race natÂuÂralÂly arose. Rand McNalÂly adverÂtised the chart as preÂsentÂing “the march of civÂiÂlizaÂtion, from the mud huts of the ancients thru the monarÂchisÂtic glamÂour of the midÂdle ages to the livÂing panoraÂma of life in present day AmerÂiÂca.” While the blurb is filled with pseuÂdoÂsciÂenÂtifÂic coloÂnialÂist talkÂing points, the chart itself has the datÂed, yet strikÂingÂly egalÂiÂtarÂiÂan arrangeÂment of inforÂmaÂtion that—like much of the illusÂtraÂtion in NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic—sought to accomÂmoÂdate the best conÂsenÂsus modÂels of the times, disÂplayÂing, but not prosÂeÂlyÂtizÂing, its biasÂes.
via Slate’s The Vault
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
A Crash Course in World HisÂtoÂry
The ComÂplete HisÂtoÂry of the World (and Human CreÂativÂiÂty) in 100 Objects
The HisÂtoÂry of PhiÂlosÂoÂphy, from 600 B.C.E. to 1935, VisuÂalÂized in Two MasÂsive, 44-Foot High DiaÂgrams
Caught MapÂping: A CinÂeÂmatÂic Ride Through the NitÂty GritÂty World of VinÂtage CarÂtogÂraÂphy
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness