shifted lines are going up or down hills or ridges, etc. each is up/down each 10 feet or 20 feet elevations. The map tells your elevations on it - somewhere the feet. Small lines together means it is deep, etc. if it has color, green means woods, white is fields. some maps don't have color like that. To tell if it's up or down lines, look for BLUE lines [are creeks] the lines or going up the hill, you can see next up to the ridge then more will go down the ridge.
The black square's usually houses & open squares are barns or buildings not living in.
get a map of you live in or who ever has out town & figured what yo are seeing
what did I leave out???