Minard’s Map — Data Village · Data Stories
A French engineer told a very sad story with one drawing: Napoleon’s march to Russia. In 1812, Napoleon set off for Russia with a huge army.
A French engineer told a very sad story with one drawing: Napoleon’s march to Russia.
The Story
In 1812, Napoleon set off for Russia with a huge army. In 1869, engineer Charles Joseph Minard drew a map where the width of a band shows how many soldiers were left in each place.
According to Minard’s map, about 422,000 soldiers set out, around 100,000 reached Moscow, and only about 10,000 returned. Underneath, Minard showed the winter temperatures, which dropped far below zero. Many experts think it’s one of the best charts ever made.
Key Ideas
- Width: On Minard’s map, the broader the band, the more soldiers there were.
- Many variables: One chart showed the number of soldiers, place, direction, and temperature.
- Timeline: Underneath, a line showed the cold getting worse on the way back.
- Telling a story: A chart can tell a whole story, from beginning to end.
Step by Step
- Pick your story.
- Decide what the width should show.
- Draw the path.
- Add the time or temperature.
- Read the chart as a story.
Try it Yourself
Draw your route from home to school. Make the line fatter where there are more people or more cars.
Source: Charles Joseph Minard, «Carte figurative», 1869
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