A rare British perspective on Mexican and Texan territories during a period of upheaval and transition.
Republic of Texas and Mexico.
On Hold
Description
Published in 1836 by James Wyld of London, this map captures the geopolitical landscape of North America just after the declaration of independence by the Republic of Texas.
Key Features:
- Republic of Texas: The map depicts the newly proclaimed Republic of Texas (1836) as a distinct entity from Mexico. Texas is depicted as extending well beyond its modern boundaries, encompassing parts of present-day New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado—territory it claimed but did not effectively control.
- Mexican States and Territories: The map shows Mexico subdivided into its then-constituted departments and provinces, based on Spanish colonial divisions. A table in the lower-left lists 32 provinces, including 7 internal provinces and 25 intendancies.
- Geographic Detail: Major rivers, mountain ranges, cities, and missions are marked. Notable cities, such as Mexico City (Ciudad de México), Veracruz, and Monterrey, are highlighted. California was still part of Mexico long before U.S. annexation.
- Inset Note: A note clarifies that some boundaries were provisional, as the Congress of Mexico had restructured its internal divisions, but the map reflects the older administrative lines for clarity.
- Decorative Elements: The map features a formal border and a flourished title cartouche in the upper right, in keeping with Wyld’s decorative style.
This map is historically significant for its timing, offering a rare British perspective on Mexican and Texan territories during a period of upheaval and transition. It predates the Mexican-American War (1846–48) and thus captures a Mexico at its fullest geographic extent before ceding vast tracts to the United States.
Cartographer(s):
James Wyld (1812–1887) was a British geographer and map dealer based in London who had taken over his father’s business at Charing Cross in London.
In his own day, Wyld was best known for his so-called Great Globe, which was a popular attraction that dominated Leicester Square for more than a decade between 1851 and 1862. The enormous globe allowed people to climb an interior staircase and study a scaled topographic model of the Earth on the concave interior.
Above all, however, Wyld was a mapmaker who made his living compiling and selling maps throughout the western world. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Bodmin. In 1838, James Wyld married Anne Hester and their son, James John Cooper Wyld, would later take over the business and become a prolific mapmaker in his own right.
Condition Description
Good.
References
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