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One of the First Atlases of the United States Issued in the United States - In Contemporary Boards

"The second purely American atlas of the United States, preceded only by Carey's 1795 atlas" - Howes.

John Reid's Atlas is one of the most important early atlases published in the United States, with most of the maps entirely original to the work. Reid followed on the heels of Mathew Carey whose American Atlas was issued in 1795. While the continental maps, the general map of the United States, and the map of Kentucky follow those in London editions of Winterbotham, the rest are original to Reid.

Evans, Howes, and all other authorities cite Reid's American Atlas as having 20 plates, with only a few examples having an additional unlisted plan of Washington inserted.

Early Tennessee

Notable maps include one of the earliest of Tennessee, which is shown extending from the Mississippi in the west to the Appalachians. It includes notes on the S. Boundary of the Military Reservation, the Kentucky Road, and various public roads, Indian Boundaries, Indian Towns and other details. Nashville, Chickasaw Bluff, Clerksville, Creeks Crossing Place, Crow T., Nickajack Town, Knoxville, Talasse, Ross's Ironworks, Chilhwee, Chota, Coyeta and a handful of other towns and settlements noted.  The earliest 6 Tennessee Counties (Washington, Sullivan, and Greene in East Tennessee; and Davidson, Sumner, and Tennessee in Middle Tennessee) began as western counties of North Carolina, established between 1777 and 1788. After the American Revolution, North Carolina struggled to maintain governance over the distant western settlements after the American Revolution. The early settlers looked to North Carolina's government for protection from the Indians and the right to navigate the Mississippi River; however, neither was forthcoming. As a result, in 1784, the East Tennesseans sought to establish the State of Franklin.

The Franklinians named John Sevier governor and began operating as an independent government. At the same time, leaders of the Cumberland settlements tried to form an alliance with Spain, which controlled the lower Mississippi River and was held responsible for inciting the Indian raids. In drawing up the Watauga and Cumberland Compacts, early Tennesseans had already exercised some of the rights of self-government and were prepared to take political matters into their own hands. Despite best efforts, the independent state movement was suppressed by the North Carolina by 1788.

After North Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1789, it ceded its western lands, then known as the Tennessee country, to the Federal government. North Carolina had used these lands as a means of rewarding its Revolutionary soldiers. In the Cession Act of 1789, it reserved the right to satisfy further land claims in Tennessee. Congress designated the area as the "Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio", more commonly known as the Southwest Territory. The territory was divided into three districts, two for East Tennessee and one for the Mero District on the Cumberland. William Blount , a prominent North Carolina politician with extensive holdings in western lands, was appointed Tennessee's first Territorial governor.

By 1795, there was sufficient population to move for statehood. Governor Blount called for a constitutional convention to meet in Knoxville, where delegates from all the counties drew up a model state constitution and democratic bill of rights. The voters chose Sevier as governor. The newly elected legislature voted for Blount and William Cocke as Senators, and Andrew Jackson as Representative. On June 1, 1796, Congress approved the admission of Tennessee as the sixteenth state of the Union.

Early Georgia

The Georgia map is also worth noting, showing the state extending to the Mississippi and parts of East and West Florida. In the east, Georgia includes some coastal counties, towns, rivers, islands, lakes, etc. Tallassee County is identified as claimed by the State of Georgia previous to the Treaty of New York. The Akenfonogo Swamp is shown. The boundary line settled by I. Stewart, Supt. British Gov't is also shown, claiming for Florida regions which are here shown in Georgia. A number of Indian settlements are shown on the Lower Chattahochee River, and then again in the northern Cherokee Lands.

The Countries of the Cherokees and Creek are shown, along with the Seminole, Appalachy, Muskogee, Chactaw and Chicasaws lands. The rivers which converge to form Mobile Bay show a number of early settlements, especially along the Alabama River. Most of the region covered is identified as Indian lands, with named settlements and other details.

The atlas features the following maps:

1. A General Map of North America Drawn from the Best Surveys. 1795
2. A General Map of South America From the Best Surveys. 1796
3. An Accurate Map of the United States of America. according to the Treaty of Peace 1783
4. The State of New Hampshire, Compiled chiefly from Actual Surveys. 1796
5. The Province of Maine, From the best Authorities 1795
6. The State of Massachusetts from the best Information 1796
7. Vermont from the latest Authorities
8. The State of Rhode Island from the Latest Surveys. 1796
9. Connecticut From the best Authorities
10. The State of New York, Compiled from the most Authentic Information. 1796
11. The State of New Jersey, Compiled from the most Accurate Surveys
12. The State of Pennsylvania, from the latest Surveys
13. The States of Maryland and Delaware, from the latest Surveys. 1795
14. The State of Virginia from the best Authorities. 1796
15. Map of the State of Kentucky; with the Adjoining Territories. 1795
16. the State of North Carolina from the best Authorities
17. The State of South Carolina: from the best Authorities 1796
18. a Map of the Tennassee Government formerly Part of North Carolina from the latest Surveys, 1795
19. Georgia from the latest Authorities
20. An Accurate Map of the West Indies with the Adjacent Coast of America. 1796