Arthur H. Robinson

Arthur Robinson was a man who made maps.

He studied how to show the world on paper.

He worked for a group that made many maps.

They even made a very large globe. It was for a leader of the land.

Arthur taught students how to draw maps well. He worked at a big school for a long time. The school named a library after him.

He also made a new way to show the world. This map looks very natural to our eyes. It is a special way to see our home.

Arthur H. Robinson was a famous map maker.

He was a geographer and a cartographer. A cartographer is a person who makes maps.

Robinson was born in Montreal, Canada. He grew up in Great Britain. Later, he went to school in the United States. He studied at Miami University and Ohio State University. He also worked at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He taught there for many years.

During World War II, Robinson led a map group.

His team made 5,000 hand-drawn maps. They even made a huge 50-inch globe. This globe was a gift for President Franklin Roosevelt.

Robinson wanted maps to look natural. He did not think north always had to be at the top. In 1961, he made a new map style. We call this the Robinson projection. It helps show the world without too many errors. It was used by National Geographic for many years. He wrote many books and articles about maps. His work helped make map making a real subject of study.

Arthur H. Robinson was a very important man in the world of maps.

He was a geographer and a cartographer. A cartographer is a person who designs and makes maps. Robinson spent his life thinking about how maps should look and work. He wanted maps to be clear and easy to read for everyone. He believed a map should look like one whole, connected unit. This helped people understand the world much better through his work.

To make a great map, Robinson used a special way of thinking. He did not believe that north always had to be at the top. He thought map makers should focus on how people actually use them. He even came up with a new word for map users. He called them "map percipients." This means people who look at maps in a very careful way. He wanted map makers to think about how they communicate with these users.

Robinson had a very busy and interesting life history. He was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1915. He lived in Great Britain when he was a young boy. Later, he moved to the United States to go to college. He studied at Miami University in Ohio and Ohio State University. He also worked at the University of Wisconsin–Madison for many years. He stayed at that university from 1947 until he retired in 1980.

During World War II, Robinson did some very big jobs. He led a group called the map division of the OSS.

His team made 5,000 maps that were all drawn by hand. They even built a huge globe that was 50 inches wide. This special globe was a gift for President Franklin Roosevelt. Robinson also earned the Legion of Merit from the U.S. Army in 1946.

One of his most famous works is the Robinson projection. In 1961, a company called Rand McNally asked him to design a new world map. They wanted a map that looked natural and did not have many errors. Robinson created a "pseudo-cylindrical" map to solve this hard problem.

This map helped show the world in a way that looked right to the eye. National Geographic even used his map for many years. His work helped make map making a real subject that students study in school.

Arthur H. Robinson was a highly influential American geographer and cartographer. A cartographer is a professional who specializes in the science and art of making maps. Robinson spent his career studying how maps function as tools for communication. He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 1947 until his retirement in 1980. His work helped turn cartography into a respected academic discipline. He believed that maps should be designed as integrated units. This means every part of the map should be clear and legible. No single item should be more prominent than it needs to be.

Robinson developed unique theories about how people interact with maps. In his 1976 book, *The Nature of Maps*, he co-authored a new term. He called the person using a map a "map percipient." A map percipient is a user who interacts with a map in a discerning way. Robinson wanted map makers to view maps as communication devices. He believed there must be a deep connection between the maker and the percipient. He also challenged old traditions in the field. For example, he argued that north does not always have to be at the top. He believed map design should be based on function rather than just convention.

Robinson's early life took him across several different countries. He was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on January 5, 1915. His parents, James Howard Robinson and Elizabeth Peavey, were Americans. During his childhood, he lived in Great Britain. He later moved to the United States for his higher education. He earned a B.A. from Miami University in Ohio in 1936. He then earned a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1938. Finally, he completed his Ph.D. at Ohio State University in 1947.

During World War II, Robinson held a critical leadership role. He served as the director of the map division for the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS. When he joined in 1941, the profession of cartography was still evolving. The group of geographers he led developed their specific mapping techniques while on the job. Robinson oversaw the creation of 5,000 hand-drawn maps during this period. He also served as the chief U.S. map officer at major Allied conferences. These conferences took place in Quebec and Cairo during 1943 and 1944. For his service, the United States Army awarded him the Legion of Merit in 1946.

One of his most famous projects was a massive physical map. Robinson and his team designed a 50-inch globe for President Franklin Roosevelt.

This object became known as "The President's Globe." A copy was given to Winston Churchill as a gift. A third version was used by George Marshall and Henry Stimson. The fine details of the globe can be seen in its decorative elements.

In 1961, Robinson achieved a major breakthrough in map projection. A company called Rand McNally wanted a new type of world map. They needed a projection that was uninterrupted and had limited distortion. They also wanted it to be pleasing to the eye of general viewers. Robinson could not find an existing map that met these specific criteria. He was commissioned to design a brand-new version. He used an iterative process to create a "pseudo-cylindrical" projection.

This design sought a compromise between distortions in area and distortions in distance. This helped create a more natural visualization of the Earth.

The Robinson projection became widely used across the world. National Geographic adopted his projection for their world maps in 1988. They continued to use it until 1998, when they switched to the Winkel tripel projection. Robinson's academic influence was also massive. He helped the University of Wisconsin–Madison establish cartography degrees for both undergraduates and master's students. The program has since graduated more than 100 master's students and 20 doctoral students. Many of these graduates went on to start respected cartography programs at other universities. Today, the university's map library is named in his honor to celebrate his legacy.