Links in the Chain of Discovery Heirs of the Ages Who Will Inherit the World of To-Morrow

An unusual visualization of the 20th century world.

This colorful pictorial celebration of global discovery was created anonymously and issued during the Interwar Period, probably around 1930. A loose approximation of Mercator’s projection depicts a simple outline of the world, emphasizing the tracks of prominent (all-white) Western explorers ranging from Columbus to Shackleton. Vignettes of sailing ships approximate the original vessels, while insets in the lower corners show the relevant polar routes.

The human costs of the Age of Discovery are noticeably absent. Instead, dozens of vignettes represent regional fauna. This exotic diversity is mirrored in the children’s portraits along the bottom of the page, titled “Heirs of the Ages Who Will Inherit the World of To-Morrow.” The idealized British youth is presented front and center, surrounded by a racially heterogeneous group of other profiles, somewhat less flattering. A rather unsubtle celebration of the British Empire near its territorial height, originally published in London as part of a children’s encyclopedia.