INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. BEFORE Commencing the preparation of the following pages, I carefully examined the various small Histories of the United States in use, noted their obvious excellences and defects, and endeavored to learn what was needed in the arrangement of a plan more attractive and efficient for instructing the young people of our country in its wonderful story, than had been hitherto employed. Using the best results of the labors of others in this special field for a foundation, I have constructed this volume of materials taken from the earlier, most elaborate, and most reliable historians of our continent, on a plan which, I believe, will be found, by instructors and pupils, to possess superior advantages as an easy and thorough method for teaching and acquiring an accurate general knowledge of events relating to the birth and growth of our Republic. The work is arranged in six chapters, each containing the record of an important period. The first exhibits a general view of the Aboriginal race who occupied the continent when the EuroThe second is a record of all the Discoveries and preparations for settlement made by individuals and governments. The third delineates the progress of all the Settlements until colonial governments were formed. The fourth tells the story of these Colonies from their infancy to maturity, and illustrates the continual development of democratic ideas and republican tendencies which finally resulted in a political confederation. The fifth has a full account of the important events of the War for Independence; and the sixth gives a concise history of the Republic, from its formation to the present time. peans came. I have endeavored to show the cause of every important event, and thus, by developing the philosophy of our history, to make it more attractive and instructive than a bald record of facts. And wherever the text appeared to need further elucidation, I have given additional facts in footnotes. These may be profitably consulted by teacher and pupil, for they will greatly aid them in obtaining a clear understanding of the subject. The system of concordance interwoven with the foot-notes throughout the entire work, is of great importance to instructor and learner. When a fact is named which bears a relation to an other fact elsewhere recorded in the volume, a reference is made to the verse and page where such fact is mentioned. A knowledge of this relationship of separate events is often essential to a clear view of the subject, and without this concordance, a great deal of time would be spent in searching for that relationship. With the concordance the matter may be found in a moment. Favorable examples of the utility of this new feature may be found on page 91. If strict attention shall be given to these references, the whole subject will be presented to the mind of the student in a comprehensive aspect of unity not to be given by any other method. It will greatly lessen the labors of the teacher, and facilitate the progress of the learner. To economize space, and prevent confusion, the dates have been put in brackets in their proper places in the text. When the volume shall be used as a reading book, these inclosed figures may easily be omitted. So with the references: they may be passed without notice; and by these omissions the sentences will appear unbroken. The questions are few, and are suggestive and comprehensive. They are so constructed that the student will be compelled to acquire a thorough knowledge of the subject under consideration before a correct answer to the question can be given. Much of this part of the labor is left to the judgment of the teacher. The engravings are introduced not for the sole purpose of embellishing the volume, but to enhance its utility as an instructor. Every picture is intended to illustrate a fact, not merely to beautify a page. Great care has been taken to secure accuracy in all the delineations of men and things, so that they may not convey false instruction. Geographical maps have been omitted, because they must necessarily be too small to be of essential service. History should never be studied without the aid of an accurate atlas. With these few observations concerning the general plan of this work, I submit the volume to the public, willing to have its reputation rest upon its own merits. M193168 Section I. General characteristics of the Indian Tribes, 7.-II. The Algonquins, 12.-III. The Huron-Iroquois, 17.-IV. The Catawbas, 19.-V. The Cherokees, 20.-VI. The Uchees, 21. -VII. The Natchez, 21.-VIII. The Mobilian Tribes, 22.-IX. The Dahcotah, or Sioux Section I. Periods of Settlement-Virginia, 47.-II. New York, 56.-III. Massachusetts, 58.- IV. New Hampshire, 63.-V. Maryland, 64.-VI. Connecticut, 66.-VII. Rhode Island, 70. VIII. Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, 72.-IX. The Carolinas, 76.-X. Geor- Section I. Virginia, 81.-II. Massachusetts, 90.-III, New York, 111.-IV. -Maryland, 120.- V. Connecticut, 123.-VI. Rhode Island, 126.-VII. New Jersey, 127.—VIII. Pennsylvania, 130.-IX. The Carolinas, 132.-X. Georgia, 139.-XI. A Retrospect, 142.-XII. The French Section I. Preliminary Events, 177.-II. First Year of the War for Independence, 187.-III. Second Year of the War for Independence, 197.-IV. Third Year of the War for Independ- ence, 211.-V. Fourth Year of the War for Independence, 224.-VI. Fifth Year of the War for Independence, 231.-VII. Sixth Year of the War for Independence, 239.-VIII. Seventh Year of the War for Independence, 247.-IX. Closing Events of the War for Inde- Section I. Washington's Administratión, 263.—II. Adams's Administration, 270.-III. Jefferson's Administration, 272.-IV. Madison's Administration, 278.-V. The Second War for Inde- pendence, 284.-VI. The Second War for Independence continued, 293.-VII. Monroe's Ad- ministration, 301.-VIII. Adams's Administration, 305.-IX. Jackson's Administration, 203. -X. Van Buren's Administration, 314.-XI. Harrison's and Tyler's Administration, 317.— XII. Polk's Administration, 320.-XIII. Taylor's and Fillmore's Administration, 334.-XIV. Pierce's Administration, 343.-Inauguration of Buchanan, 350. form as necessary materials for a portion of the history of our Republic, as the Frenchmen and Spaniards by whom parts of the territory were settled, and from whom they have been taken by conquest or purchase." 2. The history of the Indian tribes, previous to the formation of settlements among them, by Europeans, is involved in great obscurity. Whence came 1. Verse 2, page 148.' 2. Verse 17, page 40. 3. Verse 12, page 31. 4. Before the year 1607. QUESTION.-1. What are Aborigines? and what their historical position? 20 de Origin of the American Indians. Strange stories concerning them. they? is a question yet unanswered by established facts. the monuments of an ancient people often record their history. In North America such intelligible records are wanting. Within almost every State and Territory remains of human skill and labor have been found,' which seem to attest the existence here of a civilized nation or nations, before the ancestors of our númerous Indian tribes became masters of the continent. Some of these appear to give indisputable evidence of intercourse between the people of the Old World and those of America, centuries, perhaps, before the birth of Christ, and at periods soon afterward. We have no proof that such intercourse was extensive; that people from the Eastern hemisphere ever remained long enough in America to impress their character upon the country or the Aboriginals, if they existed; or that a high degree of civilization had ever prevailed on our continent. 3. Some refer the origin of the Indian tribes to the Phoenicians and other ancient maritime nations; others to the Egyptians and Hindoos; and others find their ancestors among the lost tribes of Israel," who "took counsel to go forth into a farther country where never mankind dwelt,"3 and crossed from Asia to our continent, by way of the Aleutian Islands, or by Behring's Straits. These various theories, unsupported as they are by a sufficiency of acknowledged facts, have no practical value for the young student of our history. The proper investigation of such subjects requires maturity of judgment when reason and reflection have succeeded the eager credulity of childhood and early youth. 4. When America first became known to Europeans, it afforded materials for wonderful narratives concerning its inhabitants and productions. The few natives who were found upon the seaboard, had all the characteristics common to the human race. The interior of the continent was a deep mystery, and for a long time marvelous stories were related and believed of nations of giants and pigmies; of people with only one eye, and that in the center of the forehead; and of whole tribes who existed without eating. But when sober men penetrated the forests, and became acquainted with the inhabitants, it was discovered that from the Gulf of Mexico to the country north of the chain of great lakes," the people were not remarkable in persons and qualities, 1. Remains of fortifications, similar in form to those of ancient European nations, have been discovered. Also fire-places, of regular structure; weapons and utensils of copper; catacombs with mummies; ornaments of silver, brass, and copper; walls of forts and cities; and many other things which only a people advanced in civilization could have made. 2. A Roman coin was found in Missouri: a Persian coin in Ohio; a bit of silver in Genesee county, New York, with the year of our Lord 600 engraved on it; split wood and ashes, thirty feet below the surface of the earth, near Fredonia, New York; and near Montevideo, South America, in a tomb, were found two ancient swords, a helmet and shield, with Greek inscriptions, showing that they were made in the time of Alexander the Great, 330 years before Christ. 3. II. Esdras, xiii. 40-45. 4. The people of north-eastern Asia, and on the north-west coast of America, have a near resemblance in person, customs, and languages; and those of the Aleutian Islands present many of the characteristics of both. Ledyard said of the people of eastern Siberia, Universally and circumstantially they resemble the Aborigines of America." 5. Lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan, and Superior. QUESTIONS.-2. How do we find the early history of the Aborigines of the United States? What appears to have been their relation to the rest of the world? 3. What are the opinions of some respecting their origin? 4. What strange stories were told concerning some of the tribes? What did a correct knowledge of them show? Names of Indian nations. Their characteristics, employment, food, and clothing. and that a great similarity in manners and institutions prevailed over that whole extent of country. 5. The Indians spoke a great variety of dialects,' but there existed not more than eight radically distinet languages among the whole aboriginals, from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, and beyond, namely: ALGONQUIN, HURONIROQUOIS, CHEROKEE, CATAWBA, UCHEE, NATCHEZ, MOBILIAN, and DANCOTAH or SIOUX. These occupied a region embraced within about twe twenty-four degrees of latitude and almost forty degrees of longitude, and covering a greater portion of the breadth of the north temperate zone. 6. In physical character, moral sentiment, social and political organization and religious belief, all the nations and tribes were similar. They were all of a copper color;-were tall, straight, and well-proportioned; their eyes black and expressive; their hair black, long, coarse, and perfectly straight; their constitution vigorous; and their powers of endurance remarkable. Bodily deformity was almost unknown, and few diseases prevailed. They were indolent, taciturn, and unsocial; brave, and sometimes generous, in war; unflinching under torture; revengeful, treacherous, and morose when injured or offended; not always grateful for favors; grave and sagacious in council; often eloquent in speech; sometimes warm and constant in friendship; and occasionally courteous and polite. 7. The men were employed in war, hunting, and fishing. formed all menial services. They bore all burdens during journeys; spread the tents; prepared food; dressed skins for clothing; wove mats for 'beds, made of the bark of trees; and planted and gathered the scanty crops of corn, beans, peas, potatoes, mel-to ons, and tobacco. Their wigwams, or houses, were rude huts, made of poles covered with mats, skins, or bark of trees, and all of their domestic arrange-. ments were very simple. A WIGWAM. 8. Their implements were made of stones, shells, and bones, with which they prepared their food, made their clothing and habitations, and tilled their lands. Their food consisted of a few vegetables, fish, and the meat of the deer, buffalo, and bear, generally roasted upon the points of sticks, sometimes boiled in water heated by hot stones, and always eaten without salt. Their dress in summer was a slight covering around the loins. In winter they were clad in the skins of wild beasts, often profusely ornamented with the claws of the £ 497 ... 2 1. Dialect, is the form of expression peculiar to the people of different provinces or sections of a country where the same language is spoken. The people of London and Yorkshire have such different modes of expressing the English language, that it is difficult, sometimes, for them to understand each other.. The former is more correct and refined than the latter. 2. See the engraving at the head of this chapter. One of the men is dressed in a bear's skin, and is in the act of representing that animal. Another has the horns of a buffalo and the feathers of eagles on his head. For a notice of the portrait, see Note 3, page 10. QUESTIONS.-5. How many distinct languages did the Indians possess? Name them. What extent of territory did they occupy? 6. In what were the tribes similar? What was their general character? 7. What was the chief employment of men and women? 8. Of what did their implements, food, and dress consist? |