“A New Map of the North Parts of America claimed by France under ye Names of Louisiana, Mississippe, Canada and New France with ye Adjoyning Territories of England and Spain . . .” By H. Moll Geographer, 1720.

“A New Map of the North Parts of America claimed by France under ye Names of Louisiana, Mississippe, Canada and New France with ye Adjoyning Territories of England and Spain . . .” By H. Moll Geographer, 1720.

Known as Moll’s “Sasquesahanok Indian Fort” map after the image in the upper left, the map’s title indicates its design, to refute Guillaume Delisle’s “Carte de la Louisiane” map (1718) that showed circumscribed English land claims along the Atlantic coast. Moll warned “those Noblemen, Gentlemen, Merchants &c., who are interested in our Plantations,” of the French “incroachements.” And he urged that good relations be maintained with the old English Allies, the “Charakeys” and Iroquois. Moll included the number of Cherokee villages in several locations to indicate their military strength. Moll’s information about the Southeast was garnered from first hand observers. He was aware of Sir Robert Montgomery’s 1718 plan to create the Margravate of Azilia. Moll probably advocated the proposal because it promised to fortify the southern border of the English empire.

Moll’s social life revolved around Jonathan’s coffee house in London, where he exchanged ideas with literary figures such as Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe and intellectual pirates like William Dampier. His involvement in that circle also led to his producing maps that encouraged investment in the South Sea Company that burst in a bubble just as this map appeared.

1720