A Study in Digital Geospatial History

This study addresses the growing field of "Digital Humanities," specifically a subset of this field which makes use of digital geospatial technologies to represent historical events and places. The study explores literature surrounding the Digital Humanities in general, the involvement and collaboration of historians and archives in the Digital Humanities, and new possibilities afforded by the use of digital tools for engaging with the historical. Literature surrounding the use of Geographic Information Systems for history-focused digital projects is also reviewed. Three digital history projects with geospatial components are then examined as case studies: Digital Harlem, Going to the Show, and PhilaPlace. By examining similarities and differences between these projects, this study seeks to draw general inferences about current practices within this new approach to representing historical knowledge