Mapping History Empire on Railways: Great Britain, the U.S., and China

Empire on Railways: Great Britain, the U.S., and China


Interested in learning about railways, modern empire building, and digital mapmaking at the same time?  In this class we will trace how a national railway system came into being in three countries— Great Britain, the U.S., and China, and how these systems impacted the economic landscapes of Eurasian and American continents. Then we will take one step further, using ArcGIS to translate our book knowledge into creative digital maps. There are no prerequisites required; just bring your curiosity.

Student Works

  • Southern Pacific
  • Kowloon-Canton
  • Foreign-built Railways
  • Lanzhou-Xinjiang
  • Qinghai-Tibet
  • Chengyun Railway
  • Atchison Topeka
  • Union Pacific
  • Northern Pacific
  • Union Pacific II
  • Shi Jiazhuang
  • Longhai Railway
  • The Chinese Eastern Railway in the Context of Czarist Russia
  • HSR in China (2020)
  • Major Railroads in the Second Sino-Japanese War
  • The Transcontinental Railroad in American Native Land
  • The Berlin-Baghdad Railroad 1899-1940
  • Railways and Immigration, 1865-1914
  • The Integration of High-Speed Railways & Airline in Lower Yangzi Region
  • Railway and Iran’s International Connections and Communication
  • Gauge Wars on the Grand Trunk 1861
  • Deportation to Extermination Camps by Rail in Western and Central Europe – 1942