Editing 1688: Map Age Guide

{{comic
| number    = 1688
| date      = June 1, 2016
| title     = Map Age Guide
| image     = map_age_guide.png
| titletext = Does the screeching chill your blood and herald death? If yes, banshee. If no, seagull.
}}

*A [http://xkcd.com/1688/large/ larger version] of this image can be found by clicking the image at xkcd.com - the comic's page can also be accessed by clicking on the comic number above.

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Many is still missing.}}
Flowchart depicting various ways to tell what era a map is from based on present country borders and land forms. Most of the options are very serious,with a few bizarre options (mistaking a seagull and breadbox for a map) or references to things like the {{w|Discworld}} books and Middle-earth, the setting of the Lord Of the Rings series. He also mentions US President Jimmy Carter being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit, an event previously referenced by [[204]].

Additionally, (possible) future maps including a "Radioactive Exclusion Zone" in the place of Colorado are mentioned. It predicts that some kind of nuclear incident will occur in Colorado (possibly at Rulison or Rio Blanco nuclear testing sites) in 2022. It also predicts that the area will be infested by radioactive spiders one year later.

The title text continues the path where the user has confused a seagull for a map by inquiring if the (presumed) seagull might be a banshee based on the effect of its screams.


(First Draft, please expand.)

Going through the flowchart, taking the leftmost path first, recursively. See {{w|Depth-first search}}.

{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"
|'''Question''' || '''Explanation''' 
|-
|'''Istanbul or Constantinople'''
||The largest city in Turkey is famous for having different names at different times or to different people. Variations on both names go back at least 1,000 years. Other names have also been used at various points. İstanbul has been the official name since the 1920's, although Western maps often referred to it as Constantinople as late as the 1960's; on the flowchart, the choice of name appears to go with the 1920's date. The name changes are the subject of a [http://mentalfloss.com/article/60314/original-istanbul-not-constantinople song], originally by the Four Lads, but now mainly known for the They Might Be Giants recording.
|-
| '''Do any of these exist? <br/> Independent Canada <br/> US Territory of Alaska <br/> Tokyo'''
|| All these seem to specify a date cut-off of 1867/8, but there are caveats attached to each:<br/> Canada gained its independence gradually, but it would appear as its own country on maps some time between the {{w|Constitution Act, 1867}} (which created Canada as a British dominion) and the {{w|Statute of Westminster 1931}} (which made Canada largely self-governing).<br/>The {{w|Territory of Alaska}} existed between 1912 (previously, it was a US district) and 1959 (when it became a state). The US has owned Alaska since the 1867 {{w|Alaska Purchase}}, but it was not a territory then.<br/>{{w|Tokyo}} was once called Edo. It was renamed Tokyo (which means "Eastern Capital") when it became the capital in 1868. [https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Tokyo%2CTokei&year_start=1870&year_end=1880&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2CTokyo%3B%2Cc0%3B.t1%3B%2CTokei%3B%2Cc0 Most English books around then] would actually have called it "Tokei", the Chinese reading. The name Tokyo didn't take off until {{w|Hepburn romanization}} was popularized in the 1880s.
|-
| '''The Holy Roman Empire'''
|| The predecessor to modern Germany, the {{w|Holy Roman Empire}} was a union of hundreds of small states in Central Europe. Nationalism and the concept of the {{w|nation state}} hadn't taken off yet, so countries as we know them didn't really exist. There were just small lands, often with keenly contested borders, owned by minor aristocracy who pledged allegiance to one of the big powers. The HRE was dissolved in 1806 after it was invaded by Napoleon, arguably the first leader to realise the potential of making a nation salute a flag.
|-
| '''The United States?'''
|| The original 13 colonies declared independence in 1776. A map that does not include ''either'' the HRE ''or'' the USA must be older than the HRE which would put the map some time prior to 1000 AD, when there really were no countries, and English wasn't used yet, hence Randall's comment.
|-
| '''Texas is...<br/>Part of Mexico?<br/>Independent?<br/>Part of the US?'''
|| Mexico occupied the area modern day Texas from around 1718 ([[w:Spanish Texas|when the first permanent Spanish settlements were founded]]) to the {{w|Texas Declaration of Independence}} in 1836 - the land called "Texas" was only a small part of the modern day state. The {{w|Republic of Texas}} only lasted a decade, and joined the US in 1846.
|-
| '''Florida is part of...<br/>Spain?<br/>The US?'''
|| Spain occupied Florida (as East Florida and West Florida) but frankly they didn't actually want it - it was expensive to send people to settle it, and there wasn't much economic value in it. So they gave it to the US for free in the 1819 {{w|Adams–Onís Treaty}} in exchange for the US giving up parts of Mexico and paying off angry Spanish settlers.
|-
| '''Paraguay?'''
|| Declared independence from Spain in 1811 (although it might appear on older maps as the Spanish Province of Paraguay).
|-
| '''Venezuela and/or Ecuador?'''
|| Both declared independence from {{w|Gran Colombia}} (Greater Colombia) in 1830.
|-
| '''Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?'''
||Russia currently borders the sea of Japan so the 1867 upper limit is because of Tokyo not existing higher in the chain.  The 1858 limit is to do with the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Aigun Treaty of Aigun]
|-
| '''The US's southern border looks... <br/> Weird <br/> Normal'''
|| The 1853 cut-off date suggests that this is about the {{w|Gadsden Purchase}}, when the US bought a chunk of what is now Arizona and New Mexico so they could build a railway that avoided unfavourable terrain.
|}

Constantinople / Do any of these exist? / '''Independent Canada - US Territory or Alaska - Tokyo''' No

Constantinople / Do any of these exist? / No / '''The United States'''

Neither / Does the Ottoman Empire exist? /  No / '''The Soviet Union?''' 

The Soviet Union is one of the largest countries ever to exist consisting of Russia and large portions of eastern Europe and central Asia. It was a major political force from 1922, when several allied soviets republics united, to 1991, when it broke up. Its very simple to find on any map that has it.

Zaire was one of a series of names for what is today called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1996 a (successful) revolt began to oust the reigning government from power. As part of this revolution, the country was renamed. The origonal name change away from 'Congo' was part of an 'Africanisation' naming campaign, although 'Congo' is in origin an authentic African name for the river that set the boundaries of the nation.  

Serbia and Montenegro were a remnant of Yugoslavia. Montenegro voted to become its own country in 2006.

East Timor is a nation north of Australia and south east of Indonesia. During the dutch colonization of Indonesia east Timor remained in Portuguese hands. While occupied and annexed by Indonesia since 1976, east Timor retained its own culture and voted for independence, then had a nasty militia action that required UN peacekeeping action, and finally become independent in 2002.

In 2011, after a long history of violence between the two portions of the country (which can be characterized as Islamic vs. Christian and Traditional Religions), South Sudan became independent from its northern neighbor.

In 2014, a revolution ousted the current Ukrainian president. The Crimea had its own civil unrest, and Russian troops intervened to restore order. A referendum held during this time has decided in favor of russian annexation. Many nations, including all member states of the EU and the USA, dispute the results of the referendum. 

'''This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo''' 
The following questions are about physical geography. Many of these features are not generally tracked accurately in maps - many maps still show the Aral Sea, even though it's now mostly evaporated - but are clearly visible in photos.

'''Is there a big lake in Southern California? (Created by Mistake)''' 
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea Salton Sea] A previously dry lakebed accidentally flooded in 1905 while attempting to increase irrigation to the area from the Colorado River

'''How far East do the American Prairies reach?'''
The Northwest Territory was incorporated in pieces ~1820s, there may be something more relevant to draw the line at Indiana though.  Likely this [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_removals_in_Indiana]

'''Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (Created on Purpose)'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Volta Lake Volta]

'''The US's southern border looks'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadsden_Purchase Gadsden Purchase]

'''"Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest#Etymology Buda and Pest] were originally two different cities

'''Rhodesia?''' The dates down the chain suggest this is about [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia_(region) Rhodesia the Region] not [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia Rhodesia the Unrecognized state] nor [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia] the British Colony

'''Cair Paravel?'''
Cair Paravel is a castle in the Narnia book series where the Kings and Queens of Old reigned.

'''Calormen?'''
Calormen is yet another area in the Narnia book series, a country southeast of Narnia.

'''Weird Recursive Heaven?'''
This refers to the last book in the Narnia series, The Last Battle, where the protagonists find themselves in a "heaven" containing many more of itself.

'''Lotta Islands?'''
This refers to the various islands off the coast of Narnia (most famously the Lone Islands), shown in the map in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The chart is actually incorrect here; Calormen appears on that map, so the question should have been on the "yes" branch of the "Calormen" question.

'''Beruna (Ford/Bridge)'''
This refers to both The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian; in the former book, set centuries before Prince Caspian, there existed a ford named Beruna. In Prince Caspian, centuries had passed after the preceding book, and the ford eventually turned into a bridge to transport foreign troops.

'''Mossflower'''
A forest from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall Redwall] book series.

(For the Istanbul branch) '''The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is [Hot Springs 1948-49] or [Truth or Consequences 1950-52]'''
I-25 didn't exist for any of the years listed for this item, since the Interstate Highway System wasn't launched until 1956.  The highway designation on maps printed during the years listed was U.S. 85.  The town continues to be called "Truth or Consequences", although locals say that it provides more of the latter than of the former.

==Transcript==

Guide to figuring out the age of an undated world map

(Assuming it's complete, labeled in english, and detailed enough)

Start:
* Istanbul or Constantinople?
** Constantinople:
*** <span id="canada-alaska-tokyo">Do any of these exist? Independent Canada; US Territory of Alaska; Tokyo.</span>
**** No:
***** The Holy Roman Empire?
****** Yes:
******* 1805 or earlier (before this point, the modern idea of a complete political map of the world gets hard to apply.)
****** No:
******* The United States?
******** No:
********* How sure are you that this map is in english?
******** Yes:
********* Texas is...
********** Part of Mexico:
*********** Florida is part of...
************ Spain:
************* Paraguay?
************** No: '''1806-10'''
************** Yes: '''1811-17'''
************ The US:
************* Venezuela and/or ecuador?
************** No: '''1818-29'''
************** Yes: '''1830-33'''
********** Independent: '''1834-45'''
********** Part of the US:
*********** Does Russia border the Sea of Japan?
************ No:
************* The US's southern border looks...
************** Weird: '''1846-53'''
************** Normal: '''1854-56'''
************ Yes: '''1858-67'''
**** Yes:
***** South Africa?
****** No:
******* Rhodesia?
******** No:
********* Is Bolivia landlocked?
********** No:
*********** "Buda" and "Pest" or "Budapest"?
************ Buda and Pest: '''1868-72'''
************ Budapest: '''1873-83'''
********** Yes: '''1884-95'''
******** Yes:
********* Is Norway part of Sweden?
********** Yes: '''1896-1905'''
********** No: '''1906-09'''
****** Yes:
******* Austria-Hungary?
******** Yes:
********* Albania?
********** No: '''1910-12'''
********** Yes: '''1913-18'''
******** No:
********* Leningrad?
********** No: '''1919-23'''
********** Yes: '''1924-29'''
** Neither:
*** Does the Ottoman Empire exist?
**** Yes: '''[[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]'''
**** No:
***** The Soviet Union?
****** Yes:
******* Saudi Arabia?
******** Yes:
********* <span id="west-africa-french-blob">Is most of West Africa a giant french blob?</span>
********** Yes:
*********** <span id="bangladesh">Bangladesh?</span>
************ No:
************* Is the area south of Lake Victoria...
************** British:
*************** The town on I-25 between Albuquerque and El Paso is...
**************** Hot Springs: '''1948-49'''
**************** Truth or Consequences: '''1950-52'''
************** Tanganyika: '''1961-64'''
************** Tanzania: '''1965-71'''
************ Yes: '''1972-75'''
********** No:
*********** How many Vietnams are there?
************ Two:
************* [[#bangladesh]]
************ One:
************* Jimmy Carter is...
************** Being attacked by a giant swimming rabbit: '''April 20, 1979'''
************** Fine:
*************** The Sinai is part of what country?
**************** Israel: '''1976-79'''
**************** Mostly Israel: '''1980'''
**************** Mostly Egypt: '''1981'''
**************** Egypt:
***************** What's the capital of Micronesia?
****************** Kolonia:
******************* Republic of the Upper Volta or Burkina Faso?
******************** Upper Volta: '''1982-84'''
******************** 1985-88
****************** Palikir:
******************* (number of Yemens) + (number of Germanys) = ?
******************** Four: '''1989-early 1990'''
******************** Three: '''mid-1990'''
******************** Two: '''late 1990-1991'''
******** No: '''1922-1932'''
****** No:
******* North Korea?
******** Yes:
********* <span id="zaire">Zaire? or: '''"Hong Kong (UK)"</span>'''
********** Yes: '''1992-96'''
********** No:
*********** Serbia/Montenegro are...
************ One country:
************* East Timor?
************** No: '''1997-2001'''
************** Yes: '''2002-06'''
************ Two countries:
************* How many Sudans are there?
************** One: '''2007-11'''
************** Two:
************** Is Crimea disputed?
*************** Yes:
**************** "Colorado" or "Danger—Radioactive Exclusion Zone—Avoid"?
***************** Colorado: '''2014-21'''
***************** Danger:
****************** Does the warning mention the spiders?
******************* No: '''2022'''
******************* Yes: '''2023 or later'''
*************** No: '''2012-13'''
******** No:
********* Saint Trimble's Island
********** No:
*********** Is Jan Mayen part of the Kingdom of Norway?
************ Not yet:
************* [[#canada-alaska-tokyo]]
************ What?
************* Can you see the familiar continents?
************** Yes:
*************** This sounds like a physical map or satellite photo.
**************** Yes, that's it
***************** Is Lake Chad missing?
****************** No:
******************* How far east do the American Prairies reach?
******************** Indiana: '''before 1830'''
******************** The Mississippi: '''1830s-80s'''
******************** Nebraska:
********************* Is there a big lake in the middle of Southern California? (created by mistake)
********************** No: '''1860s-1900s'''
********************** Yes: '''1910s'''
******************** What prairies?
********************* Is there a big lake in the middle of Ghana? (created on purpose)
********************** No: '''1920s-50s'''
********************** Yes: '''1960s-70s'''
****************** Yes:
******************* Is the Aral Sea missing?
******************** No: '''1970s-90s'''
******************** Yes: '''2000s+'''
************** No:
*************** Rivers "Sirion" or "Anduin"?
**************** Yes:
***************** Mordor?
****************** No:
******************* Beleriand?
******************** Yes: '''First Age'''
******************** No: '''Early Second Age'''
****************** Yes:
******************* Númenor?
******************** Yes: '''Late Second Age'''
******************** No:
********************* The forest east of the Misty Mountains is...
********************** Greenwood: '''Early Third Age'''
********************** Mirkwood: '''Late Third Age'''
********************** The Wood of Greenleaves: '''Fourth Age'''
**************** No:
***************** Cair Paravel?
****************** Yes:
******************* Calormen?
******************** No:
********************* Lotta Islands?
********************** No:
*********************** Beruna
************************ Ford: '''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'''
************************ Bridge:
********************** Yes: '''Prince Caspian'''
******************** Yes:
********************* Weird recursive heaven?
********************** No: '''one of the random later books'''
********************** Yes: '''The Last Battle'''
****************** No:
******************* Mossflower?
******************** Yes:
********************* Redwall
******************** No:
********************* Is the world on the back of a turtle?
********************** Yes: '''Discworld'''
********************** No:
*********************** Are you ''sure'' this is a map?
************************ Yes:
************************* Did you make it yourself?
************************** Yes:
*************************** It's very nice.
**************************** Thank you!
************************ No:
************************* Is it trying to bite you?
************************** No:
*************************** Is it larger than a breadbox?
**************************** Yes: '''tuba'''
**************************** No: '''stapler'''
**************************** About the same: '''breadbox'''
************************** Yes:
*************************** If you let it go, what does it do?
**************************** Hisses and runs away: '''cat'''
**************************** Screeches and flaps around the room breaking things: '''seagull'''
************ Yes:
************* Pakistan?
************** No:
*************** How many Germanys are there?
**************** One:
***************** Persia or Iran?
****************** Persia: '''1930-34'''
****************** Iran: '''1935-40'''
**************** One, but it's ''huge'': '''1941-45'''
**************** Two: '''1946-47'''
************** Yes:
*************** Cambodia?
**************** No:
***************** Eritrea is part of...
****************** Italy:
******************* Canada is...
******************** Missing a piece: '''1948'''
******************** Fine: '''1949-52'''
****************** Ethiopia: '''1952-53'''
**************** Yes:
***************** The United Arab Republic?
****************** No: '''1954-57'''
****************** Yes: '''1958-60'''
********** Yes: '''No, I made that one up.'''
** Istanbul:
*** Does the Soviet Union exist?
**** Yes:
***** [[#west-africa-french-blob]]
**** No:
***** [[#zaire]]


{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Time]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Geography]]
 <!-- Cat and seagull -->