Historical map · 1453

Map of North America in 1453

In 1453, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 4 states, empires and other polities in North America. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Later Mayan City-States, Haudenosaunee and Aztec Triple Alliance.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on North America in 1453. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 1453 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1453

Atlas map: What the Norse Left (1450) — FROM THE ATLAS · CLIMATE AND INNOVATION, CHAPTER 6: WHAT THE NORSE LEFT (1450)

States and empires in North America in 1453

State	In this region	Whole state	In the data
Later Mayan City-States Wikipedia	188,000 km²	188,000 km²	247 BC–AD 1546
Haudenosaunee Wikipedia	72,000 km²	72,000 km²	1450–1782
Aztec Triple Alliance Wikipedia	70,000 km²	70,000 km²	1429–1520
Michoacán	50,000 km²	50,000 km²	1305–1533

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 1400

New on the map: Haudenosaunee, Aztec Triple Alliance.

Gone from the map: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco.

What comes next: 1492

Between 1453 and 1492 the data shows the same states in North America; their borders may still have moved.

Read the history of 1453

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

What the Norse LeftClimate and Innovation · chapter 6 · 1450
An Empire Built on a LakeClimate and Innovation · chapter 7 · 1428

Questions about this map

Which countries were in North America in 1453?

The map data draws 4 states and other polities in North America in 1453. The largest by land were the Later Mayan City-States, Haudenosaunee, Aztec Triple Alliance and Michoacán.

What was the largest empire in North America in 1453?

Of the states on this map, the Later Mayan City-States held the most land in total: about 188,000 km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore North America in 1453 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1453, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

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