Answer: Reduce size and spending
The election of Abraham Lincoln split the United States tremendously. With the election of Lincoln, southerners feared that their way of life was in danger. They felt that Lincoln's election would eventual result in outlawing the institution of slavery.
This fear caused southern states to take dramatic action. Roughly one month after the election of Lincoln, South Carolina seceded (left) the United States. After South Carolina, states like Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi seceded as well. Ultimately the secession of states like this resulted in the creation of the Confederate States of America, which sets the scene for the Civil War.
Technology has totally changed the way maps are made and geographical areas are represented, both regarding the calculation methods and the materials and technology used (nowadays we use databases instead of paper)
In times past, geographers had to rely on anachronistic tools to create maps. Therefore, the accuracy of their calculations was often very poor. Observation and information collected from travelers, sailors and merchants was usually the most common way to create maps, in the absence of more reliable sources. Nowadays, computerized mapping and satellites make it a lot easier to map and represent large geographical areas. In conclusion, the advance of technology has been fundamental for the creation of better and more accurate maps.