In North America in the 19th century there was an increase of thematic mapping, so that various private and public organizations could get information on the location of state areas. In the 19th century Americans began to use maps in a fundamentally new direction. For the first time, doctors display on the map focuses of diseases to understand and prevent epidemics, natural scientists reflect the climate and rainfall to identify the type of climate, teachers reflect historical events to plant national loyalty among students, northerners reflect the spread of slavery to assess the strength of the South. By the end of 19th century, Congress created the National Archive of maps in order to preserve old maps as unique records of the past of the country.

Intensive development of cartography in North America was contributed by economic growth, flourishing of national fervor, interest in travel and tourism, mass education, introduction of cheaper printing techniques (lithography, the production of printing plates, etc.), as well as the creation of new urban and interurban infrastructure. All this led to a proliferation of cartographic literacy, widespread use of maps and creation of specialized mapping services. At the end of the 19th century in 1879 was founded the largest cartographic organization - the United States Geological Survey in a view of the vigorous growth of the mining industry.