Mapping out the American dream

'Map of the Indian Tribes of North America about 1600 AD along the Atlantic; & about 1800 AD westwardly', Albert Gallatin, 1836 Photograph: Courtesy David Rumsey Map Collection

How The Public Domain Has Been Squandered. Map showing land Republican Congresses gave to Railroad Corporations, 1884, Rand McNally & Co Photograph: Courtesy of Congress, Geography and Map Division

Rambles Through Our Country, an instructive geographical game for the young, American Publishing Company, 1886 Photograph: Courtesy David Rumsey Map Collection

A Pictorial Chart of American Literature compiled by Ethel Earle Wylie Photograph: Courtesy Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

Danny Arnold's pictorial map of the Old West, Fran Dowie
Photograph: Collection of Peter Clark

Map of Greyhound lines and principal connecting lines, Greyhound Lines Inc Photograph: Collection of Peter Clark

Flight Patterns, Aaron Koblin Photograph: Courtesy the Artist

Monster Map of the United States, Blayne Ward Photograph: Image courtesy the artist

Night-time view of North America Photograph: NASA Earth Observatory

The Fifty United States and Their Mottos, Emily Wick Photograph: Courtesy the artist

Results by county in the United States presidential election 2008 Photograph: Courtesy Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division