Maps have been around since men dreamed of venturing into unexplored territories. The first cartography or map-making focused on the positions and movements of stars and planets. As man's adventurous spirit took him to faraway earthbound places, accurate maps and charts meant the safety and success of a journey and provided new information about the world at large. Earth maps started out flat because everyone thought the earth was flat. When scientists realized the earth was round, globes and Mercator maps came into being. Today, maps are not only useful for travel. Vintage charts, computerized graphs, and world maps of all kinds are popular decorating elements for the home, office and dorm.
