1902: State Borders - Revision history

92.23.2.228: Neaten

2025-07-12T16:56:44Z

Neaten

130.76.187.48: /* Table of changes */ wlink

2025-07-12T00:21:58Z

‎Table of changes: wlink

Natg19: add cat

2025-07-10T16:54:40Z

add cat

162.158.187.56: /* Explanation */ ADDED MORE CLARIFICATIONS

2023-12-15T23:36:43Z

‎Explanation: ADDED MORE CLARIFICATIONS

Certified nqh: /* Transcript */

2023-11-06T03:20:49Z

‎Transcript

FaviFake: /* Explanation */

2023-08-16T10:51:54Z

‎Explanation

FaviFake: Fixed new category name

2023-06-27T07:06:09Z

Fixed new category name

FaviFake: Fixed new category name

2023-06-27T07:03:02Z

Fixed new category name

FaviFake at 10:26, 20 May 2023

2023-05-20T10:26:46Z

FaviFake: Added Category:Comics with red corrections

2023-05-20T08:57:14Z

Added Category:Comics with red corrections

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 | Give to Canada || {{w|Minnesota}} has a small northern exclave (the {{w|Northwest Angle}}) which is sparsely populated (with only about 120 residents), and is accessible from the rest of the US only via water (the {{w| Lake of the Woods}}) or by traveling through Canada. This land being part of the US is the result of a geographic error during the original negotiations over the border, and its irregularity would naturally bother someone concerned with clean and logical boundaries. The new borders suggest giving this territory to Canada to simplify the state and national border. In fact, during the Covid pandemic that hit the US in 2020, the US/Canada border was closed to nonessential travel, and so many of the Angle’s residents struggled to make ends meet, as the cross-border tourism that typically supported them largely disappeared.
 |-
-| This should be {{w|Wisconsin}} || {{w|Michigan}} is divided into two parts by {{w|Lake Michigan}}. The graphic designers suggest eliminating a boundary line by assigning the {{w|Upper Peninsula of Michigan|upper peninsula of Michigan}] to Wisconsin.  The upper peninsula given to Michigan as part of a compromise to end the {{w|Toledo War}}.
+| This should be {{w|Wisconsin}} || {{w|Michigan}} is divided into two parts by {{w|Lake Michigan}}. The graphic designers suggest eliminating a boundary line by assigning the {{w|upper peninsula of Michigan}} to Wisconsin.  The upper peninsula given to Michigan as part of a compromise to end the {{w|Toledo War}}.
 |-
 | Move Long Island to NJ or CT, or make it its own state || {{w|Connecticut}} and {{w|New Jersey}} are very close to each other but don't actually border, separated only a few miles by {{w|New York State}}.  {{w|Long Island}} is part of New York State, which visibly juts out into the Atlantic (extending so far to the east that it gives New York a maritime border with Rhode Island) and apparently drives graphic designers crazy who see an association with New Jersey or Connecticut or even becoming its own state more logical than being a part of New York State.  This would have some issues, not least of which is that Long Island contains two of {{w|New York City}}'s five boroughs ({{w|Brooklyn}} and {{w|Queens}}) and more than half the city's population.
@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 | Clean Up (Maryland/Ohio/Pennsylvania/Virginia/West Virginia) || Maryland's western panhandle and both of West Virginia's to the east and north would be smoothed out to have nice, straight, shorter lines. The Mason-Dixon Line that forms the current border between Maryland and Pennsylvania would also be extended east to the border between Pennsylvania and Delaware, which the latter in real life cuts into Pennsylvania a little bit via the {{w|Twelve Mile Circle}}.
 |-
-|Enlarge Rhode Island & Delaware || {{w|Rhode Island}} and {{w|Delaware}}, the two {{w|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area#Area_by_state.2Fterritory|smallest U.S. states by area}}, are often difficult to make out on a map of the United States.
+|Enlarge Rhode Island & Delaware || {{w|Rhode Island}} and {{w|Delaware}}, the two {{w|List of U.S. states and territories by area#Area by state, federal district or territory|smallest U.S. states by area}}, are often difficult to make out on a map of the United States.
-Expanding Delaware to occupy the entire {{w|Delmarva_Peninsula|Delmarva peninsula}} eliminates some boundary lines the designers apparently consider excessively fiddly, as well as solving another "Michigan" problem, as the "VA" of "Delmarva" refers to its {{w|Eastern Shore of Virginia|Eastern Shore}}, which is separated from the rest of Virginia by the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  The two parts of Virginia are connected by the {{w|Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel}}, while Maryland's two bay shores are connected by U.S. Route 50. Rhode Island is not indeed entirely an island, and the mainland portions are the focus of the graphic designers.
+Expanding Delaware to occupy the entire {{w|Delmarva peninsula}} eliminates some boundary lines the designers apparently consider excessively fiddly, as well as solving another "Michigan" problem, as the "VA" of "Delmarva" refers to its {{w|Eastern Shore of Virginia|Eastern Shore}}, which is separated from the rest of Virginia by the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  The two parts of Virginia are connected by the {{w|Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel}}, while Maryland's two bay shores are connected by U.S. Route 50. Rhode Island is not indeed entirely an island, and the mainland portions are the focus of the graphic designers.
 Expanding Rhode Island eastward would make it easier to see on a map. Giving the former {{w|Plymouth Colony}} to Rhode Island would have the additional advantage of making Massachusetts a more neatly rectangular state.
@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 | Fix this thing || The border of {{w|Missouri}} cuts into {{w|Arkansas}}, in the so-called {{w|Missouri Bootheel}}. The Design Team has awarded that piece to {{w|Arkansas}}, straightening the border.
 |-
-| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Kentucky}}/{{w|Virginia}} || Virginia's western border is shifted east to align it with the borders to the north and south, forming a continuous line along the {{w|Appalachian_Mountains|Appalachians}}.
+| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Kentucky}}/{{w|Virginia}} || Virginia's western border is shifted east to align it with the borders to the north and south, forming a continuous line along the {{w|Appalachian mountains}}.
 |-
-| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Nevada}}/{{w|Arizona}} || Continue the line of Utah's western border and Arizona's far northwestern border south (replacing part of the {{w|Colorado River}} boundary), transferring part of Arizona's {{w|Mohave_County,_Arizona|Mohave county}} to Nevada.
+| Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Nevada}}/{{w|Arizona}} || Continue the line of Utah's western border and Arizona's far northwestern border south (replacing part of the {{w|Colorado River}} boundary), transferring part of Arizona's {{w|Mohave County, Arizona|Mohave county}} to Nevada.
 |-
 | Unlabelled cleanup at the junction of {{w|Texas}}/{{w|Oklahoma}}/{{w|Arkansas}}/{{w|Louisiana}} || Square off {{w|Southwest Arkansas}}, and move {{w|Louisiana's}} northwest border to meet up, presumably because square corners are better.
@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 |-
 | Why should Florida get Alabama's coastline? It has plenty. ||
-The {{w|Florida Panhandle}} borders southern {{w|Alabama}} denying the state all but a sliver of coastline. Given that Florida already has an abundance of coast, the Graphic Designers consider the present arrangement unfair. Ceding the Florida counties west of the {{w|Apalachicola River}} has actually been {{w|Florida_Panhandle#Alabama_annexation_proposals|raised since the 19th century}}. This change would have the additional benefit of more neatly aligning Florida's western border with that of neighboring {{w|Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia}}. As a sidenote, this would have significant political implications, as Florida is a closely divided "swing state" whose votes can easily determine the outcome of US Presidential elections. Ceding the largely rural and conservative population of the panhandle would likely tilt the rest of the state in favor of the Democratic candidate in future elections. Such an upset of the power balance is one reason why these kinds of changes would be aggressively opposed.
+The {{w|Florida Panhandle}} borders southern {{w|Alabama}} denying the state all but a sliver of coastline. Given that Florida already has an abundance of coast, the Graphic Designers consider the present arrangement unfair. Ceding the Florida counties west of the {{w|Apalachicola River}} has actually been {{w|Florida Panhandle#Alabama annexation proposals|raised since the 19th century}}. This change would have the additional benefit of more neatly aligning Florida's western border with that of neighboring {{w|Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia}}. As a sidenote, this would have significant political implications, as Florida is a closely divided "swing state" whose votes can easily determine the outcome of US Presidential elections. Ceding the largely rural and conservative population of the panhandle would likely tilt the rest of the state in favor of the Democratic candidate in future elections. Such an upset of the power balance is one reason why these kinds of changes would be aggressively opposed.
 |}

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 | Give to Canada || {{w|Minnesota}} has a small northern exclave (the {{w|Northwest Angle}}) which is sparsely populated (with only about 120 residents), and is accessible from the rest of the US only via water (the {{w| Lake of the Woods}}) or by traveling through Canada. This land being part of the US is the result of a geographic error during the original negotiations over the border, and its irregularity would naturally bother someone concerned with clean and logical boundaries. The new borders suggest giving this territory to Canada to simplify the state and national border. In fact, during the Covid pandemic that hit the US in 2020, the US/Canada border was closed to nonessential travel, and so many of the Angle’s residents struggled to make ends meet, as the cross-border tourism that typically supported them largely disappeared.
 |-
-| This should be {{w|Wisconsin}} || {{w|Michigan}} is divided into two parts by {{w|Lake Michigan}}. The graphic designers suggest eliminating a boundary line by assigning the upper peninsula of Michigan to Wisconsin.  The upper peninsula of Michigan was given to Michigan as part of a compromise to end the {{w|Toledo War}}.
+| This should be {{w|Wisconsin}} || {{w|Michigan}} is divided into two parts by {{w|Lake Michigan}}. The graphic designers suggest eliminating a boundary line by assigning the {{w|Upper Peninsula of Michigan|upper peninsula of Michigan}] to Wisconsin.  The upper peninsula given to Michigan as part of a compromise to end the {{w|Toledo War}}.
 |-
 | Move Long Island to NJ or CT, or make it its own state || {{w|Connecticut}} and {{w|New Jersey}} are very close to each other but don't actually border, separated only a few miles by {{w|New York State}}.  {{w|Long Island}} is part of New York State, which visibly juts out into the Atlantic (extending so far to the east that it gives New York a maritime border with Rhode Island) and apparently drives graphic designers crazy who see an association with New Jersey or Connecticut or even becoming its own state more logical than being a part of New York State.  This would have some issues, not least of which is that Long Island contains two of {{w|New York City}}'s five boroughs ({{w|Brooklyn}} and {{w|Queens}}) and more than half the city's population.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:54, 10 July 2025
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	[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]		[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]
	[[Category:US maps]]		[[Category:US maps]]
		+	[[Category:Graphic designers]]

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 This comic hints at the fact that [[Randall]] actually wants to see these changes made, since there have been other [[:Category:Comics with red annotations|comics containing red annotations]] over a complex and established structure that he wants to change.
-In the title text, the graphic designers have a civil war between the ones that favor "panhandles" in the borders, such as the Oklahoma one which is enlarged in the map, the Florida one which is removed in the map, and maybe others such as the Texas region known as the "Texas panhandle". However, as graphic designers, they get too caught up in making the flag designs for their faction to actually fight. Randall has shown interest for vexillology (the study of flags) in the past, such as in [[1815: Flag]].
+In the title text, the graphic designers have a civil war between the ones that favor "panhandles" in the borders (such as the Oklahoma one which is enlarged in the map, the Florida one which is removed in the map, and maybe others such as the Texas region known as the "Texas panhandle") and the ones that don't. However, as graphic designers, they get too caught up in making the flag designs for their faction to actually fight. Randall has shown interest for vexillology (the study of flags) in the past, such as in [[1815: Flag]].
 ===Table of changes===

@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 ==Transcript==
-:[An outline map of the United States is shown, including state boundaries. The following edit marks are shown in red text:]
+:[An outline map of the United States is shown, including state boundaries. There are several proposed edits in red.]
-:[Minnesota's Northwest Angle is circled] Give to Canada
+:[Minnesota's Northwest Angle is circled]
-:[Border between Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula is crossed out] This should be Wisconsin
+:Give to Canada
 :[New York's Long Island is circled, with arrows and question marks pointing to New Jersey and Connecticut] Move Long Island to NJ or CT or make it its own state
 :[New York's eastern border has been straightened]
 :[Wyoming's western border is moved to align with that of Colorado. The Montana/Idaho and Idaho/Utah borders are extended to reach the new border. Similarly, Colorado's eastern border is moved to align with that of Wyoming, and the Nebraska/Kansas border has been extended] Align to grid
-:[West Virginia's northern panhandle has been given to Ohio and part of its eastern panhandle has been given to Maryland. In return, Western Maryland has been given to West Virginia. The altogether effect is that West Virginia and Maryland have more compact shapes] Clean Up
+:[Wyoming's western border is moved to align with that of Colorado. The Montana/Idaho and Idaho/Utah borders are extended to reach the new border. Similarly, Colorado's eastern border is moved to align with that of Wyoming, and the Nebraska/Kansas border has been extended]
-:[Rhode Island has been enlarged to encompass southeastern Massachusetts, and Delaware now takes up the entire Delmarva Peninsula] Enlarge Rhode Island & Delaware
+:Align to grid
 :[The Oklahoma Panhandle has been extended west until it reaches Nevada, taking the northernmost parts of Arizona and New Mexico with it] If we're going to have a panhandle, why not commit to it?
-:[The Missouri Bootheel has been given to Arkansas] Fix this thing
+:[West Virginia's northern panhandle has been given to Ohio and part of its eastern panhandle has been given to Maryland. In return, Western Maryland has been given to West Virginia. The altogether effect is that West Virginia and Maryland have more compact shapes]
 :[The part of Virginia west of the Appalachian Mountains has been given to Kentucky]
 :[The southwestern and eastern borders of Nevada have been extended into Arizona until they meet a point. A part of California is slightly extended to reach the revised border]
 :[Parts of Arizona and New Mexico have been ceded to Mexico, and part of Texas has been given to New Mexico, so that the southern borders of Arizona and New Mexico and the northern border of the Trans-Pecos area of Texas collectively form a straight line] Clean Up
 :[Parts of northeastern Texas have been given to Arkansas and Louisiana]
 :[The northern and southern borders of Tennessee have been straightened] Straighten to fix survey errors
-:[A line has been traced along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida] Good curve! Keep.
+:[The northern and southern borders of Tennessee have been straightened]
-:[Alaska's southeastern panhandle has been circled] Let's be honest - this should be Canada, too.
+:Straighten to fix survey errors
 :[The Alabama/Florida border has been erased, and Alabama's eastern border has been extended south until it meets the Gulf of Mexico] Why should Florida get Alabama's coastline? It has plenty.
 :[Caption below the panel:]
-:It was scary when graphic designers seized control of the country, but it turned out they just wanted to fix some things about the state borders that had always bothered them.<br>
+:It was scary when graphic designers seized control of the country, but it turned out they just wanted to fix some things about the state borders that had always bothered them.
 ==Trivia==

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 ==Explanation==
-In this comic, {{w|graphic designers}} take control of the United States, but the only thing they do is to change the state and national borders, using primarily aesthetic criteria, see details in the [[#Table of changes|table]] below.
+In this comic, {{w|graphic designers}} take control of the United States, but the only thing they do is to change the state and national borders, using primarily aesthetic criteria, see details in the [[#Table of changes|table]] below. State and national borders have generally emerged from some combination of political decisions, natural boundaries, control of natural resources, and, to some degree, from chance. As the comic implies, some borders originally resulted from surveying errors, but became encoded by law and tradition, and thus were never changed.
 Despite the caption's rather blasé reaction to the graphic designers' master plan, the changes they propose could be rather tumultuous. Political boundaries are difficult to change because rewriting them places entire populations in different states or even different countries. Even within the US, changing a population from one state to another has serious implications. A different state means different laws, tax obligations, public benefits, business regulations, infrastructure support, etc. It would also mean that control of some very substantial natural resources would be transferred from one state to another. More significantly, the suggestion to cede portions of the US to Canada and Mexico would be a much bigger deal, forcing residents of those areas to either leave their homes, businesses, and communities or surrender their current nationality and apply for citizenship in another country. The joke behind the comic is that graphic designers would tend to ignore these practical concerns and pay more attention to a map looking orderly.

@@ Line 93: / Line 93: @@
 [[Category:Comics with color]]
-[[Category:Comics with red corrections]]
+[[Category:Comics with red annotations]]
 [[Category:US maps]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:57, 20 May 2023
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	[[Category:Comics with color]]		[[Category:Comics with color]]
	[[Category:US maps]]		[[Category:US maps]]
		+	[[Category:Comics with red corrections]]