A Beginner's History - free ebook by William H. (William Harrison) Mace

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A Beginner's History

William H. (William Harrison) Mace

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A Beginner's History

A Beginner's History

by WILLIAM H. MACE Formerly Professor of History in Syracuse University, Author of "Method in History," "A Working Manual of American History," "A School History of the United States," "Lincoln: The Man of the People," and "Washington: A Virginia Cavalier" Illustrated by HOMER W. COLBY Portraits by JACQUES REICH, P. R. AUDIBERT, and B. F. WILLIAMSON RAND McNALLY &amp; COMPANY Chicago New York London Mace's Primary History Copyright, 1909 , By William H. Mace All rights reserved Mace's Elemen

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THE PREFACE

THE PREFACE

The material out of which the child pictures history lies all about him. When he learns to handle objects or observes men and other beings act, he is gathering material to form images for the stories you tell him, or those he reads. So supple and vigorous is the child's imagination that he can put this store of material to use in picturing a fairy story, a legend, or a myth. From this same source—his observation of the people and things about him—he gathers simple meanings and ideas of his own.

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LEIF ERICSON, WHO DISCOVERED VINLAND

LEIF ERICSON, WHO DISCOVERED VINLAND

1. The Voyages of the Northmen. The Northmen were a bold seafaring people who lived in northern Europe hundreds of years ago. Some of the very boldest once sailed so far to the west that they reached the shores of Iceland and Greenland, where many of them settled. Among these were Eric the Red and his son Leif Ericson. Now Leif had heard of a land to the south of Greenland from some Northmen who had been driven far south in a great storm. He determined to set out in search of it. After sailing f

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. The Northmen, bold sailors, settled Iceland and Greenland. 2. Leif Ericson reached the shores of North America and called the country Vinland. 3. The Northmen continued to visit the new land, but finally ceased to come on account of the Indians. Study Questions. 1. In what new countries did the Northmen settle? 2. Tell the story of Leif Ericson's voyage. 3. What did he call the new land, and why? Suggested Readings. The Northmen : Glascock, Stories of Columbia , 7-9; Higgin

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CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE FIRST GREAT MAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, THE FIRST GREAT MAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY

2. Old Trade Routes to Asia. More than four hundred fifty years ago Christopher Columbus spent his boyhood in the queer old Italian town of Genoa on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Even in that far-away time the Mediterranean was dotted with the white sails of ships busy in carrying the richest trade in the world. But no merchants were richer or had bolder sailors than those of Columbus' own town. Genoa had her own trading routes to India, China, and Japan. Her vessels sailed eastward and cr

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PONCE DE LEON, WHO SOUGHT A MARVELOUS LAND AND WAS DISAPPOINTED

PONCE DE LEON, WHO SOUGHT A MARVELOUS LAND AND WAS DISAPPOINTED

12. Ponce de Leon. When the Spaniards came to America they were told many strange stories by the Indians about many marvelous places. Perhaps most wonderful of all was the story of Bimini, where every day was perfect and every one was happy. Here was also the magic fountain which would make old men young once more, and keep young men from growing old. When Columbus sailed to America for the second time he brought with him a brave and able soldier, named Ponce de Leon. De Leon spent many years on

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CORTÉS, WHO FOUND THE RICH CITY OF MEXICO

CORTÉS, WHO FOUND THE RICH CITY OF MEXICO

THE ARMOR OF CORTÉS Now in the museum at Madrid 13. Cortés Invades Mexico. Columbus died disappointed because he had not found the rich cities which everybody believed were somewhere in India. Foremost among Spanish soldiers was Hernando Cortés, who, in 1519, sailed with twelve ships from Cuba to the coast of what is now Mexico. His soldiers and sailors were hardly on land before he sank every one of his ships. His men now had to fight. They wore coats of iron, were armed with swords and guns, a

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PIZARRO, WHO FOUND THE RICHEST CITY IN THE WORLD

PIZARRO, WHO FOUND THE RICHEST CITY IN THE WORLD

ROUTES OF THE CONQUERORS, CORTÉS AND PIZARRO Their conquests of Mexico and of Peru brought untold stores of riches to Spain 16. Pizarro's Voyages. Another Spaniard, Francisco Pizarro, dreamed of finding riches greater than De Leon or Cortés had ever heard of. He set out for Peru with an army of two hundred men. Reaching the coast, he started inland and in a few days came to the foot of the Andes. They crossed the mountains and, marching down the eastern side, the Spaniards came upon the Inca, th

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CORONADO, WHO PENETRATED SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES BUT FOUND NOTHING BUT BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

CORONADO, WHO PENETRATED SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES BUT FOUND NOTHING BUT BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

17. Coronado's Search for Rich Cities. Stories of rich cities to the north of Mexico led Francisco Coronado with a thousand men into the rocky regions now known as New Mexico and Arizona. They looked with wonder at the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, but they found no wealthy cities or temples ornamented with gold and silver. They pushed farther north into what is now Kansas and Nebraska, into the great western prairies with their vast seas of waving grass and herds of countless buffalo. "Crooked-b

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DE SOTO, THE DISCOVERER OF THE MISSISSIPPI

DE SOTO, THE DISCOVERER OF THE MISSISSIPPI

18. The Expedition to Florida. While Coronado and his men were searching in vain for hidden cities with golden temples, another band of men was wandering through the forests farther to the eastward. Hernando de Soto had been one of Pizarro's bravest soldiers. The news that this bold adventurer was to lead an expedition to Florida stirred all Spain. Many nobles sold their lands to fit out their sons to fight under so great a leader. HERNANDO DE SOTO After an engraving to be found in the works of

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MAGELLAN, WHO PROVED THAT THE WORLD IS ROUND

MAGELLAN, WHO PROVED THAT THE WORLD IS ROUND

FERDINAND MAGELLAN From the portrait designed and engraved by Ferdinand Selma in 1788 21. Magellan's Task. Columbus died believing that he had discovered a part of India. But he had not proved that the earth is round by sailing around it. This great task was left for Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor. Columbus' great voyage had stirred up the Portuguese. One of their boldest sailors, Vasco da Gama, had reached India in 1498 by rounding Africa, and Magellan had made voyages for seven years

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Columbus was born near the shores of the Mediterranean and trained for the sea by study and by experience. 2. The people of Europe traded with the Far East, but the Turks destroyed their trade routes. 3. Columbus was drawn to Portugal because of Prince Henry's great work. 4. Columbus thought he could reach the rich cities of the East by sailing west. 5. After many discouragements he won aid from Isabella and discovered the Bahama Islands, Cuba, and Haiti. 6. The king and qu

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JOHN CABOT ALSO SEARCHES FOR A SHORTER ROUTE TO INDIA AND FINDS THE MAINLAND OF NORTH AMERICA

JOHN CABOT ALSO SEARCHES FOR A SHORTER ROUTE TO INDIA AND FINDS THE MAINLAND OF NORTH AMERICA

CABOT TAKING POSSESSION OF NORTH AMERICA FOR THE KING OF ENGLAND On the spot where he landed Cabot planted a large cross and beside it flags of England and of St. Mark 22. Cabot's Voyages. When the news of Columbus' great discovery reached England, the king was sorry, no doubt, that he had not helped him. The story is that Columbus had gone to Henry VII, King of England, for aid to make his voyage. But England had a brave sailor of her own, John Cabot, an Italian, born in Columbus' own town of G

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SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, THE ENGLISH "DRAGON," WHO SAILED THE SPANISH MAIN AND WHO "SINGED THE KING OF SPAIN'S BEARD"

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, THE ENGLISH "DRAGON," WHO SAILED THE SPANISH MAIN AND WHO "SINGED THE KING OF SPAIN'S BEARD"

23. The Quarrel between Spain and England. After John Cabot failed to find a new way to India, King Henry did nothing more to help English discovery. His son, Henry VIII, got into a great quarrel with the King of Spain. He was too busy with this quarrel to think much about America. But during this very time, Cortés and Pizarro were doing their wonderful deeds. Spain grew bold, seized English seamen, threw them into dungeons, and even burned them at the stake. Englishmen robbed Spanish ships and

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SIR WALTER RALEIGH, THE FRIEND OF ELIZABETH, PLANTS A COLONY IN AMERICA TO CHECK THE POWER OF SPAIN

SIR WALTER RALEIGH, THE FRIEND OF ELIZABETH, PLANTS A COLONY IN AMERICA TO CHECK THE POWER OF SPAIN

28. Sir Walter Raleigh. Born (1552) near the sea, Raleigh fed his young imagination with stories of the wild doings of English seamen. He went to college at Oxford at the age of fourteen, and made a good name as a student. In a few years young Raleigh went to France to take part in the religious wars of that unhappy country. At the time he returned home all England was rejoicing over Drake's first shipload of gold. When Queen Elizabeth sent an army to aid the people of Holland against the Spania

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. John Cabot, trying for a short route to India, discovered what is supposed to be Labrador, or Cape Breton. 2. On a second voyage he coasted along eastern North America as far south as the Carolinas. 3. Later, England claimed all North America. 4. Francis Drake sailed to the Pacific in the Pelican and then turned northward after the Spanish gold ships. 5. He wintered in California, and then started across the Pacific—the first Englishman to cross. 6. Drake reached England, a

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SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN, THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN, THE FATHER OF NEW FRANCE

31. The French in North America. France was the slowest of the great nations in the race for North America. Not until 1534 did Jacques Cartier, a French sea captain searching for a shorter route to India, sail into the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. He reached an Indian village where Montreal now stands and took possession of the country for his king. SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN From the portrait painting in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania One year after Jamestown was settled, and one ye

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JOLIET AND MARQUETTE, FUR TRADER AND MISSIONARY, EXPLORE THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FOR NEW FRANCE

JOLIET AND MARQUETTE, FUR TRADER AND MISSIONARY, EXPLORE THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FOR NEW FRANCE

33. French Explorers in the Northwest. Year after year, traders and missionaries, returning to Montreal and Quebec from the west, told strange stories of a great river larger than any the French had yet seen. In May, 1673, Joliet, a fur trader, and Marquette, a missionary, were sent out by Count Frontenac, governor of the French settlements in Canada, to explore this river. With five others they paddled in canoes along the north shore of Lake Michigan, through Green Bay, up the Fox River, and th

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Champlain laid the foundations of New France at Quebec, and made a treaty with the Indians on the St. Lawrence. 2. Joliet and Marquette were sent out from Canada to explore the Mississippi River. 3. Joliet returned to tell the story of their discoveries and Marquette remained among the Indians in Illinois. Study Questions. 1. What part of North America did France first settle? 2. Who was Champlain? 3. Tell the story of his first battle with the Iroquois. 4. What things in N

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HENRY HUDSON, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED DUTCH TRADERS TO COLONIZE NEW NETHERLAND

HENRY HUDSON, WHOSE DISCOVERIES LED DUTCH TRADERS TO COLONIZE NEW NETHERLAND

34. Hudson's Explorations. One year after the men of New France had founded the city of Quebec the Dutch began the colony which became the Empire State. About the time John Smith was working hard for Jamestown, his friend Henry Hudson was sailing for some Dutch merchants in search of a northern sea route to India (1609). One bright fall day Hudson sailed into the mouth of the great river which now bears his name. He hoped that he had entered the arm of the sea which might carry him to India. He

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Henry Hudson, searching for a shorter route to India, discovered the river which now bears his name. 2. Dutch traders built trading posts throughout the region, made a treaty with the Indians, purchased Manhattan Island, and built the town of New Amsterdam. Study Questions. 1. Tell the story of Henry Hudson and the Half Moon . 2. What was the fate of Hudson? 3. When was a trading post planted on Manhattan? 4. Make a mental picture of the treaty with the Indians. 5. How did

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JOHN SMITH THE SAVIOR OF VIRGINIA, AND POCAHONTAS ITS GOOD ANGEL

JOHN SMITH THE SAVIOR OF VIRGINIA, AND POCAHONTAS ITS GOOD ANGEL

37. The First Permanent English Settlement. Raleigh had made it impossible for Englishmen to forget America. They sent out ships every year to trade with the Indians. In 1606 a great company was formed of London merchants and other rich men to plant a colony in Virginia. THE SITE OF JAMESTOWN After a drawing made early in the nineteenth century by an English traveler, Catherine C. Hopley King James gave them a charter, ministers preached sermons about Virginia, and poets sang her praises. At Chr

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LORD BALTIMORE, IN A PART OF VIRGINIA, FOUNDS MARYLAND AS A HOME FOR PERSECUTED CATHOLICS (1634) AND WELCOMES PROTESTANTS

LORD BALTIMORE, IN A PART OF VIRGINIA, FOUNDS MARYLAND AS A HOME FOR PERSECUTED CATHOLICS (1634) AND WELCOMES PROTESTANTS

40. A Colony of Catholics and Protestants. When the people of England began to change their religion, some became Puritans, others members of the English Church, and still others Catholics. Great disputes arose among the religious sects. There was much persecution. To escape this, many English people fled to the New World. The Puritans settled in New England, and the Cavalier members of the English Church found new homes in Virginia. George Calvert desired to find a home for his people, the Cath

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INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF FIRST SETTLERS OF VIRGINIA

INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF FIRST SETTLERS OF VIRGINIA

41. How the Virginia Colonists Lived. After the first hardships the colony grew and prospered. Ships continued to bring settlers from England and other countries of Europe. In a few years the little settlement at Jamestown was surrounded on all sides by newly cleared farms. To any one living to-day the old colony would seem strange indeed. There were practically no towns; almost every one lived on a large farm, called a plantation. On these plantations were great fields of tobacco, whose broad l

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. London merchants carried out Raleigh's idea by planting a colony in Virginia. 2. John Smith saved the colony by putting the settlers to work, by trading with the Indians, and by winning the friendship of Pocahontas. 3. Lord Baltimore, a Catholic, got permission to plant a colony in Virginia; he named it Maryland, and the first settlement, St. Mary's. 4. Protestants as well as Catholics were welcomed in the new colony. 5. Negroes were brought to Virginia as slaves. Study Que

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MILES STANDISH, THE PILGRIM SOLDIER, AND THE STORY OF "PLYMOUTH ROCK"

MILES STANDISH, THE PILGRIM SOLDIER, AND THE STORY OF "PLYMOUTH ROCK"

43. The Pilgrims. Persecuted for their religion in England, the Pilgrims first went to Holland. There they wandered from place to place, finally settling in the city of Leiden. But they saw that they could not keep their own language and customs among the Dutch, so they decided to go to America and found a colony of their own. John Carver, William Bradford, William Brewster, and Edward Winslow were the leaders of the little band that had chosen to go on the long and dangerous journey. The partin

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JOHN WINTHROP, THE FOUNDER OF BOSTON; JOHN ELIOT, THE GREAT ENGLISH MISSIONARY; AND KING PHILIP, AN INDIAN CHIEF THE EQUAL OF THE WHITE MAN

JOHN WINTHROP, THE FOUNDER OF BOSTON; JOHN ELIOT, THE GREAT ENGLISH MISSIONARY; AND KING PHILIP, AN INDIAN CHIEF THE EQUAL OF THE WHITE MAN

47. The Puritans. While the Pilgrims were planting their home on the lonely American shore, the Puritans in England were being cruelly persecuted by Charles I. So great became their sufferings and dangers that the Puritan leaders decided to go to America, where they could worship as they pleased. Charles I, fortunately, gave them a very good charter. But even before this, some of the Puritans had already planted a colony at Salem. JOHN WINTHROP From a portrait painted by John Singleton Copley; r

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JOHN ELIOT, A SUCCESSFUL MISSIONARY TO THE INDIANS

JOHN ELIOT, A SUCCESSFUL MISSIONARY TO THE INDIANS

THE NEW ENGLAND SETTLEMENTS 49. John Eliot. The treatment of the Indians by the colonists was generally just and kind. Trading with the white man had brought the Indians better food and clothing. Schools were being set up to give them some of the white man's education, and many preachers tried to teach them to become Christians. One man who spent his whole life in this work was John Eliot. His first care was to learn the language of the Indians of Massachusetts. He succeeded so well that he was

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KING PHILIP, INDIAN CHIEF AND HATER OF WHITE MEN

KING PHILIP, INDIAN CHIEF AND HATER OF WHITE MEN

50. King Philip. After the death of old Massasoit the friendship between Pilgrims and Indians soon came to an end. More and more white settlers came in and built homes. The Indians began to fear that they would be crowded out of the country which belonged to them and to their fathers before them. No longer were they treated with respect as at first. They were a proud people, and grew bitter because they saw that they were despised. One of the proudest of the race was Philip, son of Massasoit and

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INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS

INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS

51. How the New England Colonists Lived. The Puritans and the Pilgrims had a hard struggle in their new homes. The winters were long and colder than in England. For the cold weather they had to build warm houses and barns, and store up much grain, hay, and provisions. The summers were cool and short; tobacco and even corn did not ripen so well as in Virginia. Most of the land was hilly and stony and hard to cultivate. But these things did not discourage the settlers, who merely worked so much ha

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. The Puritans first migrated to Holland to gain religious freedom. 2. Later they decided to go to America, where they planted the colony of Plymouth, made peace with the Indians, and began to worship in their own way. 3. John Winthrop founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony of 700 Puritans. 4. He was such a good governor that he was elected almost every year until his death. 5. John Eliot converted many Indians and established several Christian Indian communities. 6. King Phili

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PETER STUYVESANT, THE GREAT DUTCH GOVERNOR

PETER STUYVESANT, THE GREAT DUTCH GOVERNOR

52. Peter Stuyvesant. This sturdy son of Holland was born at a time when his country was fighting hard against Spain for independence. His father was a minister, who, it may be supposed, brought up young Peter after the strict manner common to Dutch boys. THE DUTCH SETTLEMENTS Peter early began to study Latin. He was vain of his knowledge, and later took pride in showing it off to the settlers of New Amsterdam. When he left school young Peter joined the army. He found plenty of hard work; but he

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MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF NEW NETHERLAND

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF NEW NETHERLAND

54. Life in New Netherland. The Dutch colonists brought with them the quaint and simple ways of their old home in Holland—the land of dikes and windmills. Even long years after the colony had passed into the hands of the English, many places in New York remained Dutch in customs and appearance. New Amsterdam looked for all the world like a city back in Holland. The houses were built solidly. They stood close to the street and had high, steep roofs with gable ends that were like series of steps.

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WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER, WHO FOUNDED THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE

WILLIAM PENN, THE QUAKER, WHO FOUNDED THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE

55. William Penn. One day Thomas Loe, a Quaker preacher, ventured into the old university town of Oxford. He talked with the students and explained to them the beliefs of the Quakers. He declared that all men were equal, and he refused to recognize rank or title. He taught men to live and worship in simplicity. A few students believed his teachings and resolved to become members of the hated sect of Quakers. Among them was William Penn, the son of a great naval officer, Admiral Penn. What a buzz

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QUAKER WAYS IN OLD PENNSYLVANIA

QUAKER WAYS IN OLD PENNSYLVANIA

57. How Quakers Differed from other Colonists. The people who formed Penn's colony were unlike those of any of the other settlements. They did not wear gorgeous clothes and jewelry like the Virginia cavaliers. The men carried no swords or pistols. They were not stern like the Puritans. Games and social pleasures were not to be seen among them as in Dutch New Netherland. These people wore clothes of the plainest cut, made from dull gray or brown cloth. They were gentle and soft-spoken, and did no

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JAMES OGLETHORPE, THE FOUNDER OF GEORGIA AS A HOME FOR ENGLISH DEBTORS, AS A PLACE FOR PERSECUTED PROTESTANTS, AND AS A BARRIER AGAINST THE SPANIARDS

JAMES OGLETHORPE, THE FOUNDER OF GEORGIA AS A HOME FOR ENGLISH DEBTORS, AS A PLACE FOR PERSECUTED PROTESTANTS, AND AS A BARRIER AGAINST THE SPANIARDS

58. A Friend of the Unfortunate. James Oglethorpe was an Englishman. At an early age he went to Oxford to study, but he was drawn away from college by the clash of arms. Oglethorpe was a soldier for many years. Later he became a member of Parliament. A friend of Oglethorpe's died in a debtor's prison, which aroused his sympathies for the poor. He examined English jails, and found them so dirty and dark and damp that strong-bodied men, to say nothing of women and children, soon sickened and died

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INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF THE SOUTHERN PLANTERS

INDUSTRIES, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS OF THE SOUTHERN PLANTERS

59. The Carolina and Georgia Planters. The colonial farms south of Virginia lay mostly in a narrow strip near the sea. Inland were the "pine barrens," a poor, sandy country grown up in pine woods. Inland also were strong and fierce tribes of Indians like the Cherokees and Creeks. The younger colonies could not live by growing tobacco. Virginia was nearer to the English market, and supplied it with most of the tobacco needed. They did raise corn and cattle for their own use. One day a ship captai

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Peter Stuyvesant was sent out by the Dutch West India Company as Governor of New York. 2. He ruled the colony in his own way and gave the people very little power. 3. The council surrendered the colony to the English against the will of Stuyvesant. 4. New Netherland became the colony of New York. 5. The Dutch kept up the customs of their native country. 6. William Penn, son of a great English naval officer, became a Quaker while a student at Oxford. 7. He founded a colony i

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LA SALLE PUSHED FORWARD THE WORK BEGUN BY JOLIET AND MARQUETTE

LA SALLE PUSHED FORWARD THE WORK BEGUN BY JOLIET AND MARQUETTE

60. Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. While Joliet and Marquette were on their long journey, Frontenac was making use of another fur trader, La Salle, and of another missionary, Hennepin. La Salle belonged to a rich French family, and had left home at the age of twenty-three (1666) for the wild life in the American forests. He first built a fort-like post just above Montreal and named it Lachine, because he supposed it was located on the route to China. In 1673 he helped build Fort Frontenac w

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THE MEN OF NEW FRANCE

THE MEN OF NEW FRANCE

62. Life of the Trapper, Jesuit Missionary, and Soldier of New France. For more than a hundred years after the explorations of Joliet and La Salle the French in Canada sent trappers, missionaries, and soldiers into the new territory. The trappers lived on friendly terms with the Indians. They took shelter in the Indian wigwam and sat at the Indian camp fire. Together they searched the forest for game, and paddled up and down the rivers and lakes in the Indian canoes. They joined in the Indian sp

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. La Salle was sent to complete the exploration of the Mississippi. 2. La Salle made his way to the Gulf of Mexico and later built the fort at Starved Rock. 3. The French sent trappers, missionaries, and soldiers into New France to strengthen it against the English. 4. The French trappers lived on intimate terms with the Indians. 5. With the fall of Quebec, England won New France. Study Questions. 1. Why was La Salle not satisfied merely to get rich? 2. Describe the first voy

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THE "FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY"

THE "FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY"

63. George Washington as a Boy. When Washington was born, February 22, 1732, in the old colony of Virginia, the early settlements had grown into towns, and planters had prospered. His father's house stood upon a gentle hill slope which ran down to the lazily flowing Potomac. Across the river one could see the wooded Maryland shore, broken with a few great farms and plantations. Washington's father owned more than one plantation, and had many negro slaves. He was also a partner in some iron mines

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Washington was born on the Potomac, spent his early days on the Rappahannock, and went to school at Fredericksburg. 2. He learned many things outside of school, such as horseback riding, fox hunting, and how to find his way in the deep forests. 3. He became a surveyor in the Shenandoah for Lord Fairfax. 4. Governor Dinwiddie sent Washington to order the French to leave the Ohio. 5. Washington joined Braddock's campaign against the French, and in the battle tried to save the

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BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, THE WISEST AMERICAN OF HIS TIME

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, THE WISEST AMERICAN OF HIS TIME

77. Benjamin Franklin, the Boy Printer. When Franklin was born in Boston (1706) there were men still living who had seen John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts, and Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. Franklin's father was a poor but hard-working man. He made soap and candles. Benjamin's nine brothers had learned trades, but his parents had decided that he should be the "scholar of the family." At eight he went to school to prepare for college and was soon at the head of his

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Franklin's parents were poor, had seventeen children; hence Benjamin, though a studious fellow, was put to the printer's trade. 2. Franklin wrote the "Dogood Papers." Left home for New York, but went on to Philadelphia. 3. Persuaded to go to London. He returned and married. 4. Franklin started a circulating library, a school which became the University of Pennsylvania, and a society called the American Philosophical Society. 5. He invented a stove, founded the first fire de

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PATRICK HENRY, THE ORATOR OF THE REVOLUTION

PATRICK HENRY, THE ORATOR OF THE REVOLUTION

PATRICK HENRY After the painting by Thomas Sully, owned by William Wirt Henry, the orator's grandson, Richmond, Virginia 80. The Stamp Act. The surrender of Quebec and the fall of New France caused great rejoicing among the thirteen colonies. But the long, hard war had left both England and her colonies deeply in debt. King George III, however, thinking only of England's debt, decided that England ought to tax the colonies to pay for an army which he wished to keep in America. PATRICK HENRY SPEA

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SAMUEL ADAMS, THE FIREBRAND OF THE REVOLUTION

SAMUEL ADAMS, THE FIREBRAND OF THE REVOLUTION

85. Samuel Adams. While Patrick Henry was stirring the feelings of the people by his fiery eloquence, Samuel Adams was stirring them by strong arguments in his writings, to oppose the acts of king and of Parliament. SAMUEL ADAMS From the original painting by John Singleton Copley, representing Adams in 1771, now hanging in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Samuel Adams was born in Massachusetts (1722). While he loved school and books he cared very little for spending his time in outdoor amusements

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. The French and Indian War put both England and her colonies in debt, but the king thought only of England's debt. 2. Great opposition to the Stamp Act in all the colonies. 3. Patrick Henry made a great speech against the Virginia parsons, and a second on the Stamp Act. 4. He went to the first Continental Congress and made many friends; came home and made a great speech saying that war would come. 5. Made governor of Virginia many times. 6. Samuel Adams studied hard, failed

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NATHAN HALE

NATHAN HALE

94. Nathan Hale, the Martyred Patriot. Nathan Hale was born in Connecticut in 1755. He was brought up by his Puritan parents in the fear of God and in obedience to duty. At the age of sixteen Nathan left his native farm to enter Yale University. Here he soon became well liked for his gentle nature, lively spirit, and studious habits. In spite of his youth he was a leader in the affairs of his class and in all athletic sports. He graduated from college with honor and then taught school for almost

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GENERALS GREENE, MORGAN, AND MARION, THE MEN WHO HELPED WIN THE SOUTH FROM THE BRITISH

GENERALS GREENE, MORGAN, AND MARION, THE MEN WHO HELPED WIN THE SOUTH FROM THE BRITISH

95. The War in the South. Early in the Revolutionary War British vessels made an attack on Charleston, South Carolina (1776). But Colonel Moultrie, from his rude fort of palmetto logs, gave them such a welcome that they were glad to get away, and for two years the British gave the southern colonies little trouble. NATHANAEL GREENE From a painting by Charles Wilson Peale, once owned by Mrs. William Brenton Greene, Jr., Princeton, New Jersey, and now in Independence Hall, Philadelphia But in 1778

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. When Hale heard the news of the fight at Lexington he hastened to the front. 2. He went inside the British lines to learn their plans, was caught, and executed. 3. Greene went to Boston, saw the British army, returned home and prepared his minutemen. 4. Washington sent him to the Carolinas after the defeat of Gates. 5. In the retreat of the American army after the battle of Cowpens, Greene turned and fought the battles of Guilford Court House, Hobkirks Hill, and Eutaw Sprin

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JOHN PAUL JONES, A SCOTCHMAN, WHO WON THE GREAT VICTORY IN THE FRENCH SHIP, "BON HOMME RICHARD"

JOHN PAUL JONES, A SCOTCHMAN, WHO WON THE GREAT VICTORY IN THE FRENCH SHIP, "BON HOMME RICHARD"

100. John Paul. In 1747, in far-away Scotland, on the arm of the sea called Solway Firth, a great sailor was born. John Paul played along the seashore, saw tall ships, and heard wonderful stories of a new land called America, whose ships filled with tobacco came into the firth. John Paul did not get much schooling, and at the age of thirteen he went as a sailor lad on the Friendship to America. The ship sailed into Chesapeake Bay and up the Rappahannock River to the town of Fredericksburg, where

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JOHN BARRY, WHO WON MORE SEA FIGHTS IN THE REVOLUTION THAN ANY OTHER CAPTAIN

JOHN BARRY, WHO WON MORE SEA FIGHTS IN THE REVOLUTION THAN ANY OTHER CAPTAIN

103. John Barry. Although born on a farm in Ireland (1745), John Barry wanted to be a sailor lad. While still young he was put to service on board a merchant ship. Here young Barry learned more than being a mere sailor. Between voyages he studied hard, and soon gained a useful education. At the age of fifteen he came to Philadelphia, and was so pleased with the country and the people that he resolved to make America his home. He rose rapidly as a sailor and, when the news of the first bloodshed

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. John Paul was born a sailor in Scotland and went to America. 2. He was in America when war broke out; offered his service and was made lieutenant. 3. Congress sent him to France, and Franklin sent him to prey on English commerce. 4. Paul Jones won the great sea fight in the Bon Homme Richard . 5. John Barry was born in Ireland, and went to sea early. 6. Congress made him captain in 1776, in charge of the Lexington . 7. Barry set the country talking by capturing a war vessel

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DANIEL BOONE, THE HUNTER AND PIONEER OF KENTUCKY

DANIEL BOONE, THE HUNTER AND PIONEER OF KENTUCKY

105. A Famous Frontier Hero. Daniel Boone was born in Pennsylvania in 1735. He was only three years younger than Washington. While yet a boy he loved the woods, and often spent days deep in the forest with no companion but his rifle and dog. Boone's parents moved to North Carolina, and settled on the Yadkin River. There he married at the early age of twenty, and, pioneer-like, moved farther into the forest, where people were scarcer and game more plentiful. He built a log cabin for his bride, an

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JOHN SEVIER, "NOLICHUCKY JACK"

JOHN SEVIER, "NOLICHUCKY JACK"

109. A Famous Indian Fighter. John Sevier was born in the Shenandoah Valley in 1745. His mother taught him to read, but he obtained most of his schooling in Washington's old school town, Fredericksburg. He quit school at sixteen. He built a storehouse on the Shenandoah and called it Newmarket. He lived there, selling goods and fighting Indians, until, at the early age of twenty-six, he was a wealthy man. He had already made such a name as an Indian fighter that the governor made him captain in t

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GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, THE HERO OF VINCENNES

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK, THE HERO OF VINCENNES

111. A Successful Leader against the Indians and the British. George Rogers Clark was born in Virginia in 1752. From childhood Clark liked to roam the woods. He became a surveyor and an Indian fighter at the age of twenty-one. Like Washington, with chain and compass, and with ax and rifle, he made his way far into the wild and lonely forests of the upper Ohio. INDIANS ATTACKING A FORT Again and again, when a surprise was not possible, the Indians from safe hiding places picked off the men in a g

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Boone loved the woods, crossed the mountains into east Tennessee, and later went to Kentucky. 2. He wintered alone in Kentucky; his brother returned home for supplies. 3. Boone built the "Wilderness Road," and also built Fort Boonesboro. 4. Boone took part in the War of the Revolution, was captured by the Indians, carried to Detroit, but escaped. 5. Years after his death his remains were taken to Frankfort, Kentucky. 6. John Sevier studied at Fredericksburg; fought Indians

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ELI WHITNEY, WHO INVENTED THE COTTON GIN AND CHANGED THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH

ELI WHITNEY, WHO INVENTED THE COTTON GIN AND CHANGED THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH

113. What a Boy's Love of Tools Led to. Before the Revolution there lived in a Massachusetts village a boy named Eli Whitney. His father had a farm, on which there was also a tool shop. This was the most wonderful place in the world to young Eli. Whenever he had a moment to spare, he was sure to be working away with his father's lathe or cabinet tools. At the age of twelve he made a good violin. After that people with broken violins came to him to have them mended. One day, when his father had g

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THOMAS JEFFERSON, WHO WROTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, FOUNDED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND PURCHASED THE LOUISIANA TERRITORY

THOMAS JEFFERSON, WHO WROTE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, FOUNDED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND PURCHASED THE LOUISIANA TERRITORY

WHERE JEFFERSON WENT TO SCHOOL BEFORE HE WENT TO WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE 115. The Early Years of Jefferson. The author of the Declaration of Independence was born in 1743, near Charlottesville, Virginia. Like most other Virginia boys, Thomas Jefferson lived on a large plantation, and spent much time in hunting, fishing, and horseback riding. While yet a boy, and throughout his long life, Jefferson loved books and studied hard every subject that came before his mind. When seventeen years old he

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LEWIS AND CLARK, AMERICAN EXPLORERS IN THE OREGON COUNTRY

LEWIS AND CLARK, AMERICAN EXPLORERS IN THE OREGON COUNTRY

118. Discovery of the Columbia River. The purchase of the Louisiana territory by Jefferson opened up a great new field for settlers. It was necessary to know something about the new territory. It was a vast unexplored country stretching from the Mississippi River to the Rockies. The Pacific shore had already been visited by explorers. Boston merchants had sent Captain Robert Gray to the Pacific coast to buy furs of the Indians. He did not try to find an overland route, but sailed around South Am

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OLIVER HAZARD PERRY, VICTOR IN THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE

OLIVER HAZARD PERRY, VICTOR IN THE BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE

124. A Young Man Who Captured a British Fleet. Perry was born in Rhode Island in 1785. He went to the best schools, and learned the science of navigation. At fourteen years of age he was a midshipman on his father's vessel, and before he was twenty-one he had served in a war against the Barbary pirates. When young Perry returned to his home the British were seizing American ships, claiming the right to search them for British sailors. Perry was very bitter toward the British for these insults to

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ANDREW JACKSON, THE VICTOR OF NEW ORLEANS

ANDREW JACKSON, THE VICTOR OF NEW ORLEANS

125. How a Poor Boy Began to Rise. Andrew Jackson was born of Scotch-Irish parents who had emigrated from Ireland to South Carolina. His father died and his mother moved to North Carolina to be among her own people. Here, a few days after his father's death, in the same year in which England passed the Tea Act (1767), Andrew was born. Schools were few and poor. In fact, Andrew was too poor himself to do anything but work. He learned far more from the pine woods in which he played than from books

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Eli Whitney was born in Massachusetts. 2. As a boy he was very much interested in tools, and worked in his father's shop with all kinds of mechanical contrivances. 3. He earned his way through college doing carpenter work. 4. After graduation he set out to teach in Savannah. 5. He failed to get the situation, and went to visit a friend who had taken much interest in him. 6. The South needed a machine to separate the cotton fiber from the seed. 7. Whitney set to work to make

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ROBERT FULTON, THE INVENTOR OF THE STEAMBOAT

ROBERT FULTON, THE INVENTOR OF THE STEAMBOAT

128. The Invention of the Steamboat. Once there were no steam engines to drive boats. On sea and river they were driven by wind, and on canals they were pulled along by horses. James Rumsey on the Potomac, John Fitch on the Delaware, and William Longstreet on the Savannah had each invented and tried some kind of steamboat, before Robert Fulton. Fulton was born of Irish parents, in New Britain, Pennsylvania, in 1765. At the age of three he lost his father. Young Fulton had a great taste for drawi

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SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, INVENTOR OF THE TELEGRAPH

SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, INVENTOR OF THE TELEGRAPH

133. The Coming of the Telegraph. Samuel Morse was born in Massachusetts (1791). His father was a Presbyterian minister. Young Morse went to the common schools and to Yale College. MORSE WORKING ON HIS MACHINE In college he used his spare time in painting, and after graduation he went to England and studied under the best artists. He came home and for a time painted portraits for a living. After having spent some years abroad, in work and study, Morse was again returning home from France when th

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CYRUS WEST FIELD, WHO LAID THE ATLANTIC CABLE BETWEEN AMERICA AND EUROPE

CYRUS WEST FIELD, WHO LAID THE ATLANTIC CABLE BETWEEN AMERICA AND EUROPE

136. The Atlantic Cable. Cyrus W. Field was born in Massachusetts in 1819. His grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. Cyrus went to school in his native town of Stockbridge, and at fifteen was given a place in a New York store at fifty dollars a year. Before he was twenty-one he went into business for himself. At the end of a dozen years he was the head of a prosperous firm. In 1853 he retired from active business. Field became interested in a man who was joining Newfoundland with the mainland

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CYRUS H. McCORMICK, INVENTOR OF THE REAPER

CYRUS H. McCORMICK, INVENTOR OF THE REAPER

138. Making Bread More Plentiful for Millions. It was only natural that Cyrus H. McCormick should be interested in inventions. His father, Robert McCormick, had fitted up many labor-saving devices for use on his farm. He tried to make a reaper, but it was a failure. One hundred years ago the common method of harvesting in this country was by "cradling" the grain. For this, a scythe with prongs on its handle was used. The prongs caught the grain and laid it in rows, ready to tie. CYRUS HALL M c C

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ELIAS HOWE, INVENTOR OF THE SEWING MACHINE

ELIAS HOWE, INVENTOR OF THE SEWING MACHINE

ELIAS HOWE 140. A Time-Saving Invention. Elias Howe was a poor boy who won great riches through his invention, but spent most of his years in a long, dreary struggle with poverty. Elias was born in Massachusetts in 1819. His father was a poor man. He worked in his father's mill and then in the cotton mills of New England until he came to have a thorough knowledge of machinery. When he was twenty-four he began his great invention, the sewing machine. Sewing machines using a chain stitch had alrea

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Fulton's invention greatly increased commerce before the coming of railroads. 2. Congress granted Morse money to build a telegraph line, after many delays. 3. Bell and Gray invented the telephone. 4. Marconi invented wireless telegraphy. 5. Cyrus Field after many failures laid a permanent cable across the Atlantic in 1866. 6. McCormick's reaper hastened the settlement of the West. 7. Howe became rich through the invention of the sewing machine. Study Questions. 1. Tell of e

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SAM HOUSTON, HERO OF SAN JACINTO

SAM HOUSTON, HERO OF SAN JACINTO

142. Sam Houston. Young Houston was born of Scotch-Irish parents, in Virginia (1793). His father had fought under General Morgan in the Revolution. Sam Houston did not have much schooling, and when but thirteen his family moved to east Tennessee. Made angry by his older brother, he left home and went to live with the Cherokee Indians. He liked the wild life of the Indians and took part with the Indian boys in their pastimes of hunting, fishing, and playing at games. THE BATTLE OF HORSESHOE BEND

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DAVID CROCKETT, GREAT HUNTER AND HERO OF THE ALAMO

DAVID CROCKETT, GREAT HUNTER AND HERO OF THE ALAMO

143. A Brave Backwoodsman. At the close of the Revolution, Tennessee was still largely a wilderness. Here David Crockett was born in 1786. In those days schools on the frontier were few and poor, and young "Davy" found most of his schooling in the backwoods. He learned to know the woods and streams and the animals that lived in them. As a boy he spent most of his time hunting and trapping. As a young man he was one of the most famous rifle shots in the United States. When the Creek War broke out

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JOHN C. FREMONT, THE PATHFINDER OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

JOHN C. FREMONT, THE PATHFINDER OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

144. A Great Explorer. Fremont's father was a Frenchman who was driven to America by the terrible French Revolution. John Charles Fremont was born at Savannah (1813) while his parents were on a journey through the South. His father died soon after, and his mother went to live in Charleston, South Carolina. After a time at a good school, Fremont entered the junior class in Charleston College (1828). After leaving college he spent two and a half years on a voyage to South America. On his return he

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SPANISH MISSIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST

SPANISH MISSIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST

149. How the Franciscans Ruled the Southwest. Centuries before Fremont or Kit Carson or any other American had seen the wonders of our western country, Spaniards made their homes there. Before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, Spanish missionaries had built many churches in the Southwest and had baptized thousands of Indians into the Christian faith. The story of the Spaniards in New Mexico, Arizona, and California is not of victories won by the sword, but by the cross. The men who ruled this co

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Houston had little schooling and went to live with the Cherokee Indians. 2. Wounded at Horseshoe Bend; studied law in Nashville; was sent to Congress for four years; and was elected governor of Tennessee. 3. Went to live with the Cherokees again, and then went to Texas. 4. Houston won the battle of San Jacinto; was made president of the republic of Texas; and later elected to the United States Senate. 5. David Crockett was born in Tennessee, had little schooling, and became

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HENRY CLAY, THE FOUNDER OF THE WHIG PARTY AND THE GREAT PACIFICATOR

HENRY CLAY, THE FOUNDER OF THE WHIG PARTY AND THE GREAT PACIFICATOR

150. The Rise of Henry Clay. Henry Clay was born in Virginia in the year of Burgoyne's surrender (1777). His father was a Baptist preacher, with a fine voice and a graceful way of speaking. He died when Henry was four years old. Little Henry lived near the "Slashes," the name given to a low, flat region, and went to school in a log cabin. When not at school he worked on the farm, helping to do his share in support of the family. He could be seen walking barefooted behind the plow, or riding the

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DANIEL WEBSTER, THE DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION

DANIEL WEBSTER, THE DEFENDER OF THE CONSTITUTION

153. A College Boy and a Young Lawyer. Daniel Webster was born of good Puritan stock, in 1782, in New Hampshire. He was a very weakly child. No one dreamed that one day he would have an iron-like body. Daniel spent much of his time playing in the woods and fields. He loved the birds and beasts that he found there. He went to school, but the schoolmasters were not very learned, and Daniel could read better than most of them. The teamsters, stopping to water their horses, were glad to hear him rea

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JOHN C. CALHOUN, THE CHAMPION OF NULLIFICATION

JOHN C. CALHOUN, THE CHAMPION OF NULLIFICATION

155. The Champion of the War of 1812. John C. Calhoun was born in the same year as Webster (1782) in South Carolina. His parents were Scotch-Irish. His father, a Revolutionary patriot, died soon after John was born. John spent his early years roaming in the fields and woods. He learned more there than from books, and he learned to think before the thoughts of other people filled his memory. At eighteen he began to prepare for college, under the care of his brother-in-law, a Presbyterian minister

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Clay's father was a Baptist preacher. Young Henry went to school in a log cabin, and rode his horse to mill with a rope bridle. 2. He studied law, and went to Lexington, Kentucky, to practice. 3. Clay won his way to the hearts of the people; was elected to the House of Representatives for a great many years. 4. He favored the War of 1812; induced Congress to pass the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise Tariff of 1833. 5. Clay ran three times for president. He was author

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A POOR BOY BECOMES A GREAT MAN

A POOR BOY BECOMES A GREAT MAN

THE BIRTHPLACE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN 158. The Backwoodsman Who Became President. Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, February 12, 1809. His parents were so poor that they hardly knew that they were poor. When he was seven years old his family crossed the Ohio River and settled in Indiana. There they found a place in the deep, dark forest, in the southern part of the state, and began to build a cabin for a home. Abe worked hard to help build it. It was not much of a house—only fourteen feet square

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Lincoln, born of poor parents in the state of Kentucky, went over to Indiana at seven years of age. 2. Helped build a cabin and clear the forest and went hunting. 3. Lincoln lost his mother, and his father married again. 4. His stepmother took good care of Abe and his young sister. 5. Lincoln had little schooling, but read a few books thoroughly. 6. He was physically strong at twenty-one, and he had read so much that he could "spell down" the whole country. 7. The family mo

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ULYSSES S. GRANT, THE GREAT GENERAL OF THE UNION ARMIES

ULYSSES S. GRANT, THE GREAT GENERAL OF THE UNION ARMIES

167. A Poor Boy Becomes a Great Man. Ulysses Simpson Grant was born in 1822, in Ohio, at a place called Point Pleasant. When he was a year old his parents removed to Georgetown, Ohio, and there a few years later he attended school. He was taught little besides reading, writing, and arithmetic. As he grew up he helped his father and mother by hauling wood, plowing, and doing other useful work. He did not like the leather business, his father's occupation, but he found great pleasure in farm work

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ROBERT EDWARD LEE, THE MAN WHO LED THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES

ROBERT EDWARD LEE, THE MAN WHO LED THE CONFEDERATE ARMIES

171. The Great General of the Confederacy. Robert E. Lee was born in Virginia in 1807. He went to school at Alexandria, where George Washington once lived, and became a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point. In the war with Mexico Lee earned honor and fame. He rose rapidly in rank. Starting as captain, he became major, lieutenant-colonel, and then colonel. When the Mexican War was over, he took charge of the Military Academy at West Point. After three years, he decided to giv

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Grant born of parents who were farmers. Loved to work with horses. 2. Sent to West Point; was in Mexican War under Generals Taylor and Scott. 3. Was clerk for his father at Galena. 4. In the Civil War rose rapidly till made a major-general. 5. Captured Fort Donelson and Fort Henry. 6. Captured Vicksburg; was made lieutenant-general, and sent into the Wilderness after General Lee. 7. Fought a month, then moved around to Petersburg. 8. Offered Lee terms of surrender. 9. Was t

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RUTHERFORD B. HAYES

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES

175. A Wise and Independent President. In 1822 a baby boy was born in the old college town of Delaware, Ohio. His parents named the boy Rutherford B. Hayes. As a youngster he loved his books and his playmates. RUTHERFORD B. HAYES From a photograph by Pach Bros., New York City At an early age he entered Kenyon College, Ohio. Here he was a leader among his fellows, not only in college affairs, but in his daily work in the classroom. He graduated with first honors in his class. For his after-colleg

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JAMES A. GARFIELD AND CHESTER A. ARTHUR

JAMES A. GARFIELD AND CHESTER A. ARTHUR

JAMES A. GARFIELD After a photograph by E. Bierstadt 176. The Towpath that Led to the Presidency. Like Lincoln, the second of our "martyr Presidents" started life in a log cabin. Garfield was born near Cleveland, Ohio (1831). His parents were poor and his father died while Garfield was yet an infant. Garfield's mother was brave and held her little family together. The children did not have much chance to go to school. Life to them was a hard struggle. When James reached the age of fifteen, he be

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GROVER CLEVELAND

GROVER CLEVELAND

178. A Man Who Was Twice President. Grover Cleveland saw the light of day in the old state of New Jersey in 1837. While he was yet a boy his parents moved to central New York. Here he received a common school education. He was a good pupil and made friends with boys who loved honesty and fair play. His parents were poor and could not send him to college. He was always sorry for this and tried to make up for it by hard study. The lives of men great in history and literature were what he liked bes

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BENJAMIN HARRISON

BENJAMIN HARRISON

BENJAMIN HARRISON From a photograph by L. Alman 180. A General Who Became President. Early in our national history it had happened that the son of a President of the United States had also become President. In 1833 a boy was born in Ohio, the grandson of a President, who was also to gain this high position. His grandfather was William Henry Harrison, who was elected President in the stirring campaign of 1840. His parents named him Benjamin. Young Harrison, a happy and well-born boy, received his

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Hayes studied law, and served in the Civil War. 2. He was elected to Congress while still in the field. 3. He received only one more vote than Tilden for President. 4. He was wise and fair in his treatment of the South. 5. Garfield was a poor boy who had to work hard for an education. 6. He was a war veteran and was elected senator before becoming President. 7. His remarkable ability as an orator caused him to be nominated for the presidency. 8. His assassination helped to

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WILLIAM McKINLEY AND THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

WILLIAM McKINLEY AND THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR

WILLIAM McKINLEY From a photograph by Courtney, taken at Canton, Ohio 181. William McKinley. William McKinley was born in Ohio in 1843. As a boy his chief delight was to roam the fields and woods surrounding Niles, his home town, or to fish in the fine streams near by. When he was about nine years old his parents moved to Poland, Ohio, where there were good schools for children. McKinley studied hard, and at seventeen years of age entered Allegheny College at Meadville, Pennsylvania. But his hea

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. William McKinley was born in Ohio. 2. He went to college at Meadville, Pennsylvania, and afterwards taught school. 3. Enlisted as a private in 1861 and won praise and promotion for bravery in fighting for the Union. 4. After the war he studied law and opened an office in Canton, Ohio. 5. Was a good speaker and was sent to Congress at Washington for seven terms. 6. Twice governor of Ohio, he was elected president of the United States in 1896. 7. The Cubans had revolted many

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THEODORE ROOSEVELT, THE TYPICAL AMERICAN

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, THE TYPICAL AMERICAN

185. Theodore Roosevelt as a Boy. Although the son of a rich man, Roosevelt both as boy and man was most democratic. One of his forefathers, Klaes Martensen van Roosevelt, came from Holland to New York in the steerage of a sailing vessel, a most lowly way to travel. This was long ago, before Peter Stuyvesant was governor of New Netherland, as New York colony was then called. THEODORE ROOSEVELT From a photograph by Bell Young Roosevelt had learned a few words of an old Dutch baby-song. When in So

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Though the son of a rich man, Roosevelt even as a boy was most democratic. 2. In the Roosevelt home idleness, selfishness, and cowardice were unknown. 3. In college Roosevelt was a good student and a genuine sportsman. 4. In spite of the jeers of his rich friends Roosevelt started on a political career by joining the 21st District Republican Association of New York City. 5. Roosevelt was elected three times to the New York Assembly. 6. In 1886 he was nominated for mayor of

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THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT OF POPULATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT OF POPULATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

193. The New West. We have seen how the discovery of gold in the sand near the American River over one hundred miles from San Francisco started the tremendous rush to the Pacific coast. The gold seekers went by three routes: by ship all the way around the Horn, the longest and stormiest way; by ship to Panama and beyond, a way beset by danger from fever in crossing the isthmus; and by long overland trails on which travelers suffered untold hardships from losing their way on the sandy plains or a

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GEORGE WASHINGTON GOETHALS, CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE PANAMA CANAL

GEORGE WASHINGTON GOETHALS, CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE PANAMA CANAL

GEORGE W. GOETHALS 196. The Panama Canal. In the great rush of gold seekers to the Pacific coast, many of the thousands who started out never reached California, for the crossing of the Panama isthmus and the long journey around Cape Horn were both full of danger. It was this which first made Americans realize the value to their country of a canal across the Isthmus. As time passed, the great development of the Pacific coast region brought demands for fast and easy communication with the East. R

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Gold seekers reached the Pacific coast by three routes: by ship around Cape Horn; across the Isthmus at Panama; and over trails across the mountains. 2. With new discoveries of gold and the increasing population on the Pacific coast, means of rapid communication were urgently needed. 3. In 1869 the Union Pacific Railway was completed. 4. Settlers in large numbers entered the new West; agriculture on the great plains developed rapidly. 5. Farmers crowded on the dry slopes an

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THOMAS A. EDISON, THE GREATEST INVENTOR OF ELECTRICAL MACHINERY IN THE WORLD

THOMAS A. EDISON, THE GREATEST INVENTOR OF ELECTRICAL MACHINERY IN THE WORLD

199. The Wizard of the Electrical World. Thomas A. Edison was born in 1847 at Milan, Ohio. His father's people were Dutch and his mother's were Scotch. When he was seven years of age his parents removed to Port Huron, Michigan. EDISON SELLING PAPERS AFTER THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING Edison owed his early training to his mother's care. At the age of twelve he was reading such books as Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , Hume's History of England , Newton's Principia , and Ure's Di

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TWO INVENTIONS WIDELY USED IN BUSINESS

TWO INVENTIONS WIDELY USED IN BUSINESS

203. Christopher L. Sholes and the Typewriter. The typewriter cannot be called the invention of any one man. Many inventors, half of them Americans, worked on the problem, for even a simple machine has many parts. TYPEWRITER AND DICTAPHONE Machines by which the blind could print or type raised letters were first made. A little difficulty may hold back a great invention. A typewriter was not built until long afterward because inventors did not know how to ink type. In the Scientific American more

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AUTOMOBILE MAKING IN THE UNITED STATES

AUTOMOBILE MAKING IN THE UNITED STATES

205. The Earliest Automobiles. The first kind of automobile men tried to build was a "steam carriage." A Frenchman in 1755 invented a steam road wagon meant to draw a field gun. But his invention could not be steered, and was soon wrecked by running into a wall. In England one hundred years ago a few of these "steamers" were run as stage coaches. They were noisy, clumsy "steamers" and always likely to explode. They were not popular, and a law was passed that a man must always walk ahead of them

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WILBUR AND ORVILLE WRIGHT, THE MEN WHO GAVE HUMANITY WINGS

WILBUR AND ORVILLE WRIGHT, THE MEN WHO GAVE HUMANITY WINGS

207. Early Attempts to Fly. To sail through the air as birds do is an ambition that has dazzled men since ancient times. The Greek myths tell us of Phaeton who drove the horses of the sun, and of Icarus who flew too near the sun with his wings of feathers and wax. WILBUR WRIGHT To learn how to fly men studied the wings of huge birds living millions of years ago, made careful mathematical reckonings about them, and then made themselves wings of feathers or skin. But with these wings they could on

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JOHN P. HOLLAND, WHO TAUGHT MEN HOW TO SAIL UNDER THE SEA

JOHN P. HOLLAND, WHO TAUGHT MEN HOW TO SAIL UNDER THE SEA

211. The Submarine. During the War of the Revolution an American named Bushnell worked on the problem of making a boat that would sail under the surface of the sea. He was the first to work on this problem and is called the Father of the Submarine. Some years later Robert Fulton (page 257 ) became interested in the submarine. In 1801 he built one for the French government. But Fulton turned his efforts to making steamboats and did not continue his plans for a successful diving boat. 212. John P.

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Edison learned telegraphy, and made his own instruments. 2. Edison saved the day in Wall Street, and made his reputation, as well as plenty of money. 3. He made many telegraph and telephone inventions. 4. He built great laboratories in New Jersey, where many men worked helping him. 5. Edison invented the phonograph, and worked to improve the electric light. 6. An argument about horseracing led to the invention of moving pictures. 7. Edison improved the moving picture camera

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ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY, TWO PIONEERS IN THE CAUSE OF WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE

ELIZABETH CADY STANTON AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY, TWO PIONEERS IN THE CAUSE OF WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE

215. The Women of Our Nation. Women have had a large part in the progress of our nation. In colonial days women often had to defend their homes against Indians. They endured the hardships of the first settlements as bravely as did the men. They had larger rights and greater freedom than in England at that time, because their help was so plainly necessary in this new country. By 1850 nearly one-fourth of the nation's manufacturing was done by women, but otherwise until that time women's lives wer

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JULIA WARD HOWE, AUTHOR OF THE "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC," AND HARRIET BEECHER STOWE WHO WROTE "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN"

JULIA WARD HOWE, AUTHOR OF THE "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC," AND HARRIET BEECHER STOWE WHO WROTE "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN"

219. Julia Ward Howe. All the great wars in which our country has engaged have brought heavy burdens and sorrow to women. They could not march away to fight side by side with the men. Their duty was to cheer their loved ones as they went away to danger and perhaps to death. At the outbreak of the Civil War, from thousands and thousands of homes father, husband, son, or brother went away, in many instances never to return. Women were left behind, praying for their loved ones and working untiringl

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FRANCES E. WILLARD, THE GREAT TEMPERANCE CRUSADER; CLARA BARTON, WHO FOUNDED THE RED CROSS SOCIETY IN AMERICA; AND JANE ADDAMS, THE FOUNDER OF HULL HOUSE SOCIAL SETTLEMENT IN CHICAGO

FRANCES E. WILLARD, THE GREAT TEMPERANCE CRUSADER; CLARA BARTON, WHO FOUNDED THE RED CROSS SOCIETY IN AMERICA; AND JANE ADDAMS, THE FOUNDER OF HULL HOUSE SOCIAL SETTLEMENT IN CHICAGO

222. Frances E. Willard. In 1839, when Frances Elizabeth Willard was born, thousands were leaving the eastern states for the new West. Her father and mother were successful teachers in New York, but when Frances was two years old they decided to move with the westward current. After living five years at Oberlin, Ohio, the family went on to Janesville, Wisconsin, settling on a farm in the midst of picturesque hills and woods. There Frances and her brother and sister grew up healthy, happy childre

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Women shared the hardships and dangers of the early colonists. 2. They did heroic service during the Revolution and in the later progress of the nation; but they had no legal or political rights. 3. Leaders arose among the women demanding for their sex the same rights and privileges that men had. 4. As a girl Elizabeth Cady Stanton became indignant at what she found to be the unequal position of women in almost every walk of life; she resolved to devote her life to the stru

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HOW FARM AND FACTORY HELPED BUILD THE NATION

HOW FARM AND FACTORY HELPED BUILD THE NATION

228. Cotton Fields and Cotton Factories. Since the days of Eli Whitney cotton has been grown in all the southern states from Virginia westward to Texas, and from the Gulf of Mexico north to Missouri. More than one half of all the cotton in the world is grown in southern United States. High-grade cotton is also grown in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and California is now one of our leading cotton-producing states. A field of growing cotton is very picturesque. Its culture employs many labo

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MINES, MINING, AND MANUFACTURES

MINES, MINING, AND MANUFACTURES

231. Coal and Iron. Next to the great farm crops, coal and iron are the most valuable products of our country. The coal that is mined in one year is worth five times as much as the gold and silver combined. Our iron mines yield as much wealth in one year as the gold mines do in three. Gold and silver are luxuries without which we could get along, but our great factories, railroads, and steamship lines could not exist without an abundance of iron and coal. A hundred years ago there was almost no

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. The toilers in forest, mine, and factory contributed to the development of our land. 2. Cotton is grown in all the southern states and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. 3. A valuable oil is made from the cotton seed. 4. The climate west of the Mississippi best suited to the raising of wheat. 5. The work of cultivating and harvesting is done by machines. 6. Wheat is sent to the flour mills, the largest of which are in Minneapolis. 7. Exports of wheat decreasing. 8. Texas and

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EARLY YEARS OF THE WAR

EARLY YEARS OF THE WAR

232. A War of All the People. We have been studying in this history the lives of America's greatest men and women, and the ways they have served their country. But in the last great part of American history, the World War, what counted most was the loyalty of every one of the people to a free government, and their willingness to fight and work unitedly for its safety. The plain, everyday American is our hero in this chapter. A WAR GARDEN POSTER In the "Food Will Win the War" campaign posters urg

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AMERICA ENTERS TO WIN

AMERICA ENTERS TO WIN

237. Congress Votes Billions. Congress voted billions of money to be spent in various ways, and President Wilson loaned millions of dollars to England, France, and Italy. They in turn sent great men to talk with those who were managing our war preparations. Never did a nation given to peace turn so quickly to war. Thousands of Americans in Europe had already been taking part for years. Some had joined the Canadian army or the Lafayette Squadron, part of the French air service. Others were workin

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THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR

THE CONCLUSION OF THE WAR

245. Foch the Allied Supreme Commander. Before the spring of 1918 each of the Allied armies had been acting on its own plan. The places where the trenches of two armies came together were, of course, the weakest, and were favorite points for German attacks. It was now decided to have one commander for all the Allied forces. Foch, a French general highly skilled in the science of war, was chosen for this great task. TRANSPORTS CARRYING AMERICAN TROOPS CONVOYED BY BATTLESHIPS 246. The Crisis of th

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. This war was so great that it needed the support of every American citizen. 2. People at home had to do without many things needed by the army and by the Allies. 3. Nearly all the great powers of Europe were drawn into the war. 4. Germany, contrary to treaty, invaded Belgium. 5. The German navy was quickly driven from the seas, and Germany was blockaded. 6. The American government remained neutral, but most of its people favored the Allies. 7. Germany sank the Lusitania and

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INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

253. Why Boys and Girls Should Know about Europe. In the part of the book just studied, you have become acquainted with men and women who have been great American leaders. Did you ever stop to think that the early settlers in this country, from whom most of our great men sprang, came from countries in Europe already built up? What the settlers gave to this country they got from people who had lived a long time ago. Therefore in many ways their habits and institutions were different from ours now

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THE OLDEST NATIONS

THE OLDEST NATIONS

254. Egypt, the Land of the Nile and the Pyramids. Egypt has always been a land of curious things. It lies across the Mediterranean, southeast of Europe. It is a land of sunshine day after day. Were it not for the Nile River, it would be a part of the Great Sahara Desert. Every year for ages, the Nile has risen in a great flood and its waters have spread out over Egypt. In coming down from their mountain home these waters carry rich earth which they spread over a part of Egypt. The result is tha

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. The first settlers in America came from old and well-established countries in Europe. 2. Their ways of living were very different from ours. 3. The classes of people were very different from those we have. 4. Egypt the oldest nation. 5. What the Nile does for Egypt. 6. What Egypt taught the world. 7. Babylon and Nineveh, the early cities of Asia. 8. How they differed from Egypt. 9. How Egypt, Babylon, and Nineveh recorded their deeds. 10. What the Jews were noted for. 11. W

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GREECE, THE LAND OF ART AND FREEDOM

GREECE, THE LAND OF ART AND FREEDOM

260. Greece, a Beautiful Land. Among the countries of the ancient world Greece was the one bright spot where men had the right to think and act for themselves. Greece is a small peninsula in southeastern Europe cut up by many deep gulfs and bays and crossed by rugged mountains. The colors of its landscape have been thus described: "Against a deep blue sky, its bold hills and mountains, often powdered with snow, stand out in clear outline, and its fertile valleys please the eye with their green v

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HOW THE GREEKS TAUGHT MEN TO BE FREE

HOW THE GREEKS TAUGHT MEN TO BE FREE

267. Self-Government among the Greeks. The Greeks were not many in number, if we compare them with modern nations. But we admire them because they were free and had the most democratic government in the ancient world. They lived in little cities located in the valleys shut in by hills or mountains. Around their cities they built strong walls to shut out dangerous enemies. There were some benefits growing out of living in small cities. The people could know each other. The men could come together

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SPREAD OF GREEK CIVILIZATION

SPREAD OF GREEK CIVILIZATION

271. The Old Wars of the Greeks. The once greatest enemies of the Greeks were the Persians, living in western Asia. The Persians conquered Asia Minor. Here on its coast the Greeks had planted many cities, and they naturally sent ships and soldiers to aid their kinsmen. AN ATHENIAN WAR GALLEY The king of the Persians, Darius by name, whom we read about in the Bible, sailed with a great army across the sea to Greece. One hundred thousand Persians met ten thousand Greeks on the battlefield of Marat

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. Greece, a land of hills, mountains, plains, bays, and gulfs. 2. Greeks traded and planted colonies. 3. The deeds of Greek heroes. 4. The great men of the newer Greece. 5. The reason why the Persians attacked the Greeks. 6. Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis. 7. Alexander the Great, his father, his education, his army, and his victories. 8. Spread of Greek ideas. Study Questions. 1. See map for the boundaries of "Greater Greece." 2. Name heroes among the ancient Greeks. Do y

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WHEN ROME RULED THE WORLD

WHEN ROME RULED THE WORLD

274. Rome, the Eternal City. Italy looks like a big boot hanging from the Alps Mountains down into the Mediterranean Sea. "Sunny Italy," people call it. The ancient Romans all believed that their city, Rome, was founded by a hero called Romulus. He had a twin brother, Remus. A wicked uncle threw them while babies into a basket and set it adrift on the river Tiber. But the boys—so the story runs—were found by a she-wolf that nursed them until they became men, strong and cruel. With the aid of oth

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HANNIBAL TRIES TO CONQUER ROME

HANNIBAL TRIES TO CONQUER ROME

HANNIBAL'S ARMY CROSSING THE ALPS 279. Carthage the Rival of Rome. Just as Persia was the rival of Greece, so Carthage was the rival of Rome. Carthage had been settled by the Phoenicians, the traders of the ancient world. Carthage, the richest of their colonies, was just across the Mediterranean from Rome. In the days of her greatest power Carthage was said to have nearly a million people. Rome and Carthage quarreled about the island of Sicily, lying midway between them, and Rome was successful

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ROME CONQUERS THE WORLD BUT GROWS WICKED

ROME CONQUERS THE WORLD BUT GROWS WICKED

280. How Rome Came to Win Victories. The wars made great soldiers out of the Romans, who, now that they had trained generals, began to conquer all the nations about them. They invaded Macedonia, Greece, Asia, and Africa, destroying the mighty nations which had grown out of the work of Alexander the Great. How do you suppose the Romans defeated the Macedonian phalanx? The Roman generals planned the battle with the Macedonians so that it always occurred in a forest or on rough broken ground where

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. What Italy looks like on the map. 2. Romulus and Remus. 3. The founding of Rome; the six kings. 4. A republic with "consuls" and "senators." 5. The story of Horatius; of Cincinnatus. Our Cincinnatus. 6. The first quarrel, and the removal to the second hill. 7. The capture of Rome by the Gauls; the Gauls become Romans. 8. Rome and Carthage rivals. 9. Quarrel over Sicily. 10. Hannibal takes a great oath. 11. Hannibal's army. 12. How it reached Italy and how long it remained.

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THE ROMAN REPUBLIC BECOMES THE ROMAN EMPIRE

THE ROMAN REPUBLIC BECOMES THE ROMAN EMPIRE

283. The Rise of Julius Caesar. When a country is torn by quarrels between rich and poor, very often some great man rises, seizes the government, and rules the country himself. He may use the army in compelling all parties to submit quietly to his rule. So it was in Rome. Caesar was "tall and erect, with hooked nose, and piercing glance." He made the common people believe him to be their friend. They probably thought that he was another Gracchus. 284. Caesar Governor of Gaul. Caesar was chosen c

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WHAT ROME GAVE TO THE WORLD

WHAT ROME GAVE TO THE WORLD

288. Great Lawmakers and Governors. Of all the ancient nations Rome was the most famous in establishing laws in regard to the ownership of property and in regard to the way men should act toward one another. Her consuls and senators were men skillful in planning laws not only for Rome but for the nations which she had conquered. 289. Romans Were Great Builders. The buildings of Greece were beautiful but those of Rome were large and strong. The Colosseum, built as a place of entertainment for the

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THE DOWNFALL OF ROME

THE DOWNFALL OF ROME

292. The Coming of the Huns and Teutons. North of the Alps, beyond the Danube and the Rhine, and between the North Sea and the Black Sea, was a vast region of wild lands. Here the German or Teutonic tribes had lived for hundreds of years. They had made little advance in ways of living. They still dwelt in poor villages. They loved to fight, or waste their time in idleness and feasts. They were noted for their love of liberty and pure family life. At the time of the invasions (4th century) they w

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THE ANGLES AND SAXONS IN GREAT BRITAIN

THE ANGLES AND SAXONS IN GREAT BRITAIN

294. The Britons. There were already two groups of people in these islands. Under the rule of the Romans one group, the Britons, had been weakened as fighters. Rome called her legions out of Britain to fight the Germans. This left the Britons without good soldiers to keep order and the tribes began fighting one another. One tribe, the Britons proper, invited bands of Jutes from Denmark (449) to help them. After the Britons had forced back their enemies the Jutes refused to go away. They took pos

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CHARLES THE GREAT, RULER OF THE FRANKS

CHARLES THE GREAT, RULER OF THE FRANKS

After an engraving in Green's History of England WORK COPYING MANUSCRIPT, 1200 A. D. 297. Charlemagne. While the Germans were still moving into the Roman Empire the Franks had set up a government under Clovis. They had become Christians and lived on friendly terms with the church. They grew strong and settled down to a more orderly and quiet way of living. Their first great king, Charles Martel, the Hammer, checked the invasion of the Mohammedans at Tours (732), and again Europe and Christianity

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THE COMING OF THE NORTHMEN

THE COMING OF THE NORTHMEN

300. The Vikings or Sea-Rovers. The Northmen lived in the lands of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They lived on the inlets of the ocean, or viks, and were called "vikings." Their boats were long, and each one had a high prow with the head of a dragon or other fierce-looking animal upon it. They drove their vessels by sail or oar. Often there were as many as fifty rowers in a boat, their bright shields hanging over the sides. When the sun shone on them they looked like great moving lights. The Nort

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ALFRED THE GREAT

ALFRED THE GREAT

301. Alfred the Boy. Alfred was born in 849. His mother was a good woman who gave much time and care to her children. Alfred learned early to read and to love books. A story is told of how Alfred won a beautiful book as a prize from his mother for learning to read it sooner than the other children. He spent much time in learning about wise men, in order to become wise himself. As he grew older he found other serious work to do. He aided his brother Ethelred, king of Wessex, to give battle to the

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THE NORMAN CONQUEST

THE NORMAN CONQUEST

From an old print ENGLISH ARCHERS 304. England Conquered Many Times. England had been conquered by the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Danes. Now she was conquered for the last time. The people who defeated her were the Normans of France. We have seen them come into France when the Normans scattered from their native lands in the north of Europe. After Alfred died several kings ruled in England. When Harold was chosen king, the Duke of Normandy claimed the throne of England. He made this claim

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THE STRUGGLE FOR THE GREAT CHARTER

THE STRUGGLE FOR THE GREAT CHARTER

306. Henry II a Great Ruler. Nearly a hundred years had gone by since William the Conqueror ruled England. There was great confusion in England. The Norman nobles were doing about as they pleased. They rode forth from their castles with their little armies and attacked each other, or attacked the citizens of a town, sometimes murdering them. Then Henry II, the grandson of William the Conqueror, came to the throne. He was like his ancestor in many ways. He could brook no opposition. He was short

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SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL

The Leading Facts. 1. England almost ruined by the Danes. 2. Alfred's youth. 3. Alfred as king. 4. What he did for his people. 5. The Norman conquest. 6. Battle of Hastings. 7. Norman nobles built castles and brought confusion to England after William's time. 8. The Normans and Anglo-Saxons mix. 9. Henry II a great king. 10. Nobles forced to behave. 11. Established the Grand Jury and the jury to try cases. 12. King John lost Normandy and quarreled with the Pope. 13. John submits to the Pope. 14.

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