Solving Problems With Maps

Open Ended

How can maps help people solve problems?

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What type of information can go on a map?

​Many items can go on maps

We will examine a map made during the London Cholera Epidemic of 1854​

​London in 1854

​People got their water from public wells

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Water was shared, and often got from public watersources like lakes and rivers

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what problems may come from this?​

John Snow

In 1854, in a single ten-day period, 500 people suddenly died in London, England. They all died of the same illness in one part of the city. The cause of death was determined to be a severe infection of the small intestine. What was the source of the disease? How did it spread? A physician named John Snow was determined to find out.

Look at the next slide carefully. I am going to ask you a question about it on the next slide

The question will be - What does each dot represent

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What does each dot represent?

Each dot represented one cholera death

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How may mapping cholera deaths have been helpful?

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How do you think Cholera may have spread?

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What other information would you have wanted to know if you were Doctor Snow?

​John Snow's Map

John snow then mapped out all the water pumps in Soho, the area of london that was becoming sick

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In 1854, they knew that Choleara was bad, but did not know how it was spread. ​

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Open Ended

Now that Dr. Snow has a map of water pumps and death locations, what inferences may Dr. Snow have made to help solve his question?

What really happened?

​What Really Happened

​A baby became sick​

The dirty diaper was put into the street.​ The diaper grew the disease of cholera which sunk into the cracks of the street and poisoned the well

​The dry summer and hot weather allowed the disease to multiply rapidly

​What Mr. Geving hopes

I hope that you were able to learn how a map can help solve more than "where are we going?" and ​that you found this interesting