In conjunction with our latest exhibition, “From Williamsburg to Wills’ Creek: 
The Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia,” the Library of Virginia will host a special 
children’s program entitled “From Compass to GPS: The History and the Future 
of Mapping in Virginia” on Saturday, October 4th from 10:00 am to 12:00 
noon. Young children will be given an opportunity to learn about the history of 
maps and map making in Virginia. Here future mapmakers will be able to meet 
an 18th century surveyor, portrayed by character interpreter Willie Balderson, 
as well as learn the modern surveying techniques. There will also be a special 
session of educators featuring the uses of GIS mapping techniques for 
teaching history (see below for a full description). Resource packets featuring 
primary source documents relating to mapping will be distributed to teachers 
and students the day of the event.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information about this and 
other events at the Library of Virginia, please contact Tameka Hobbs, Program 
and Education Coordinator, at 804.371.2126 or 
[log in to unmask], or Susan Gilliam, Educational Assistant, at 
804.692.3999 or [log in to unmask]

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“GIS Technology in the Social Studies Classroom”

Presentations by Teaching American History Education Fellows

 
Presented as a part of “From Compass to GPS: The History and Future of 
Mapping in Virginia”

Explorations of the Library of Virginia’s Exhibition

“From Williamsburg to Wills’ Creek: The Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia”

Saturday, October 4, 2008

10:00 am to 12:00 noon

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“Mapping the Underground Railroad”

Presented by Chris Sledd, Burley Middle School, Albemarle County

How did the Underground Railroad assist enslaved African Americans as they 
sought to escape slavery? Using the resources included in this project,  
students will learn more about over 200 Underground Railroad Stations and use 
various GIS features to analyze them.  Students will discover the difficulties 
runaway slaves faced, the lengthy travels they endured, and how the 
Underground Railroad helped them.  As a part of the activity, they will need to 
plan a careful escape route that will allow the runaways access to food and 
shelter.  Students will keep track of the locations where they stop to rest on 
their journey.  If they reach Canada safely, students will be able to plot their 
journeys in GIS and see the route they took on the map.  

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“World War II Alliances”
Presented by Stephanie Hammer, William Monroe Middle School, Greene 
County, U.S. History II, Grade 6

Students will explore a world map that illustrates the involvement of countries 
in alliances before and during WWII.  Using ArcGis or Adobe Acrobat the 
students will map the changes of WWII alliances between 1932-1945. As a 
result of the project students should be able to explain the impact of the Axis 
Powers in Europe and the Pacific and the response of the Allied Powers to 
their aggression.

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“Why Yorktown?: The Role of Nathanael Greene in the Revolutionary War”

Presented by Donna Shifflett, Ruckersville Elementary School, Greene County

Ten year olds will learn to navigate ArcExplorer by investigating the 
importance of the role geography played in the American Revolutionary War.  
Students will investigate the location of Revolutionary War battles relative to 
time and region, the role of port cities, and how Nathanael Greene used his 
knowledge of the land to weaken Cornwallis’s Army without winning a major 
battle.
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“Mapping the Constitutional Convention” 

Presented by Christine Esposito, Charlottesville Public Schools

Creating the Constitution was a messy business. Many of the issues 
surrounding its creation would continue to exist for decades after it was 
ratified. Some of those same issues are still being debated today. If we expect 
students to understand what came after the Constitution, we must first help 
them to understand what came before and how that shaped the debate about 
the need for a new government, what that government should look like and 
how it should be implemented. This activity uses GIS technology to help 
students visualize the geographical nature of the major decisions/votes of the 
Constitutional Convention

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