Where did GIS begin?
Mapping has revolutionized how we think about location. Maps are important decision making tools. They help us get to places. And they are becoming more immersed in our everyday lives.
But where did it all begin?
Advancements in GIS was the result of several technologies. Databases, computer mapping, remote sensing, programming, geography, mathematics, computer aided design, and computer science all played a key role in the development of GIS.
Today, we’ll uncover some of the key moments in the history of GIS that has shaped it what it has become today:
Paper Mapping Analysis with Cholera Clusters
Dr. John Snow used mapping to illustrate how cases of cholera were centered around a water pump. Many people thought the disease was propagating through the air. However, this map helped show that cholera was being spread through the water.
The history of GIS all started in 1854. Cholera hit the city of London, England. British physician John Snow began mapping outbreak locations, roads, property boundaries and water lines.
When he added these features to a map, something interesting happened:
He saw that Cholera cases were commonly found along the water line.
John Snow’s Cholera map was a major event connecting geography and public health safety. Not only was this the beginning of spatial analysis, it also marked the start of a whole field of study: Epidemiology – the study of the spread of disease.
To this date, John Snow is known as the father of epidemiology. The work of John Snow demonstrated that GIS is a problem-solving tool. He put geographic layers on a paper map and made a life-saving discovery.