Jigsaw puzzle:United States

The origins of jigsaw puzzles go back to the 1760s when European map makers pasted maps onto wood and cut them into small pieces. The "dissected map" has been a successful educational toy ever since. American children still learn geography by playing with puzzle maps of the United States or the world. The "Silent Teacher" puzzle map line began in Canastota, NY around 1870. By 1880 E.L. Clemens was producing the successful puzzles in Clayville, NY. Clemens' versions featured advertisements on the reverse side of the map--in this example, for the White Sewing Machine.