In my undergraduate history education classes, I did not use digital mapping tools due to my experience of being hopelessly confused by the one that was recommended to me by my professor. The map itself was difficult to manipulate and I felt that it was more trouble than it was worth to incorporate the program into one of my lessons. Unfortunately, I was not exposed to more options until recently. My exploration of ArcGIS Story Maps reopened my understanding of how useful and accessible digital map tools can be in history education to visualize data and to gain more geography knowledge.
In ArcGIS StoryMaps, there are several choices of how to present your narrative. In the provided block palette, the map is the most interactive. Users are able to add points on the map that allow them to add an image and a description. The StoryMaps provide an option to number these points so that viewers can navigate through them in a particular order. A line can be drawn between the points on a map, and it can be titled and given a description as well. This function is ideal for a project that focuses on a physical path in history, such as a migration pattern or a campaign trail. Numbering the data on a map can also follow an event chronologically, as seen with this Battle of Gettysburg map (which was created using the same mapmaker found in ArcGis). It is more difficult to save the drawn line compared to individual points, and the save feature is not automatic. The site does provide a number of examples of how other creators used the maps, as well as a comprehensive tutorial to navigate the offered tools. One of the best features of this digital map tool is how the map legend automatically reflects the map itself without further manipulation. One of the best examples of ArcGIS’ legend capabilities can be seen through Jim Herries’s map of redistricting counties in the Exploring the 2020 U.S. Census Data project.

The map feature of ArcGis Story Maps provides an avenue of project creation for students in the history classroom while also furthering their understanding of geography via map manipulation. Andrew Wiseman’s article When Maps Lie notes the lack of practice people have analyzing maps as a source that can be distorted and manipulated, associating it with how geography has been excluded from school curriculums for decades. Students have more experience with analyzing articles and written sources for bias and misinformation. There is almost an unspoken authority about maps, which can be addressed by teaching students how they support data. Digital maps such as the one found in ArcGIS StoryMaps can also further facilitate student research. By looking at their data on a map, students will find answers to their questions while identifying patterns to research. Within the StoryMap, students can add more blocks of text for their own analysis as well as link other media and primary sources related to their research. ArcGIS’s map function is versatile enough to be incorporated into multiple units and provides a tool of analysis that has been used by historians and geographers. History students benefit from practicing the methods and tools used by professionals in the field.
Hi Kara!
I also tried playing with ArcGIS, but after discovering in a few short minutes that it would require a lot of time and knowledge to do what I wanted to do, I decided to use another mapping tool and decided on another theme. I attempted to pinpoint the location of highway historical markers in Wilmington, NC, and analyze their relationship with Black neighborhoods in Wilmington. I wanted to see if I could use the data and resources that I had collected for my research paper, “History, Memory, and Power in Commemorating the Past,” to examine whether there was a relationship between the subject of the highway historical marker and the neighborhood that the marker was put up in (or near). I found that the process to create an ArcGIS like this would take a lot of time. Nonetheless, it would be a great visual tool to present these types of information.
Hey Kara!
I can really identify with not feeling comfortable using mapping tools in undergrad, so I’m really glad we had the opportunity to explore some new ones! I used Knightlab’s StoryMap application and found it surprisingly customizable and user-friendly. I think it has some really great potential for bringing technology into the classroom, which also seems evident with this website. The legend feature is something I didn’t find in the application I used, so I’m glad to now know of this one that I can bring into my classroom — Thanks for sharing!