History of the United States, prepared especially for schools. ... Illustrated with charts, maps, etc

Front matter

FRONT VIEW OF THE CAPITOL. HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, PREPARED ESPECIALLY FOR SCHOOLS. ON A NEW AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, EMBRACING THE FEATURES OF "LYMAN'S HISTORICAL CHART." By JOHN CLARK RIDPATH, A.M., t Pbofessoe of Belles-Lettres and History in Indiana Asbcry University. ILLUSTRATED WITH CHARTS, MAPS AND ENGRAVINGS. JONES BROTHERS & CO., CINCINNATI, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO, MEMPHIS, ATLANTA. Entered according to Act os Congress, in the year 1874, by J. T. JONES. In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. (Vkstcott & Thomson, Stereotypers and Electrotypers, Philada.

Preface

. To every American citizen some knowledge of the history of his country is indispensable ; the more thorough that knowledge the better for the Republic. The place where the foundation of such knowledge is laid is the school-room and the academy. A desire to aid the vast army of American students in the acquire ment of this most important but difficult branch of study has been my motive in preparing and offering to the public A New Manual of United States History. In the preparation of this work the following objects have been kept in view : I. To give an accurate and spirited Narrative of the principal events in our national history from the discovery of the continent to the present time. II. To discuss the Philosophy of that history as fully as possible within the narrow limits of the work.

III. To preserve a clear and systematic Arrangement of the several subjects, giving to every fact, Avhether of peace or war, its true place in the narrative. IV. To give an Objective Representation by means of charts, maps, diagrams, etc., of the more important events in the history of the country. V. To secure a Style and Method in the book itself which should be in keeping with the spirit and refinement of the times. Whether these important ends have been attained, it is not my province

PREFACE.

. to decide. I have labored earnestly to reach the ideal of such a work ; and if success has not rewarded the effort, the failure has been in the execution rather than in the plan and purpose. I surrender the book, thus undertaken and completed, TO the teach ers of our country, asking a considerate judgment and just recognition of whatever worth the work may be found to possess. J. C. R. Indiana Asbury University, 1 August, 1875. / ANALYSIS.

Part I. Voyage And Discovery

Chapter Page I. — The Icelanders and Norwegians in America 13-15 II. — Spanish Discoveries 15-19 III. — Spanish Discoveries. — Continued 1 9-27 IV.— The French in America 28-34 V. — English Discoveries and Settlements 34—43 l VI. — English Discoveries and Settlements. — Continued 43-49 VII. — Voyages and Settlements of the Dutch 50-52 Recapitulation 53-55 Vocabulary 56

Part II. Colonial History

FIRST DIVISION: VIRGINIA. I.— The First Charter 57-66 IL— The Second Charter 66-69 III.— The Third Charter 70-75 IV. — The Royal Government 76-84 Recapitulation 85-86 SECOND DIVISION: THE EASTERN COLONIES. I. — Massachusetts. — Settlement 87-97 IL— Massachusetts.— The Union 97-103 III.— Massachusetts.— King Philip's War 103-111 IV. — Massachusetts. — War and Witchcraft 111-117 V. — Massachusetts. — Wars of Anne and George 117-124 VI.— Connecticut 124-132 VII— Rhode Island 132-138 VIII— New Hampshire 138-142 Recapitulation 142-144 ANALYSIS. THIRD DIVISION: MIDDLE COLONIES. Chapter Page I.— New York.— Settlement 145-151 II. — New York. — Administration of Stuyvesant 151-155 III. — New York under the English 156-167 IV— New Jersey 167-172 V. — Pennsylvania 173-179 Recapitulation 179-181 FOURTH DIVISION: SOUTHERN COLONIES.

I— Maryland 182-190 IL— North Carolina 190-195 III— South Carolina 196-203 IV.— Georgia 204-211 Recapitulation 211-212 FIFTH DIVISION: FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR. I.— Causes 213-221 II. — Campaigns of Washington and Braddock 221-227 III.— Ruin of Acadia 227-230 IV.— Expeditions of Shirley and Johnson . 230-232 • V.— Two Years of Disaster 233-236 VI.— Two Years of Successes 236-243 236-243 Recapitulation 243-244 Vocabulary 245-246

Part III. Revolution And Confederation

I— Causes 247-258 IL— The Beginning '. 259-267 III. — The work of '76 267-279 IV. — Operations of '77 279-290 V. — France to the Rescue 290-295 VI. — Movements of '79 296-301 VII. — Reverses and Treason 301-307 VIIL-TheEnd 307_318 IX. — Confederation and Union 318-323 Recapitulation 323-326 Vocabulary 32g

Part IV. National Period

I. — Washington's Administration 327-333 II. — Adams's Administration 333-336 ANALYSIS. Chapter Page III.— Jefferson's Administration..: 336-344 IV. — Madison's Administration and the War of '12 344-351 V.— War of '12.— Continued 352-359 VI.— The Campaigns of '14 359-367 VII. — Monroe's Administration 367-372 VIII. — Adams's Administration 372-374 IX.— Jackson's Administration 374-380 X.— Van Buren's Administration 380-383 XL— Administrations of Harrison and Tyler 383-388 XII.— Polk's Administration and the Mexican War 388-399 XIII. — Administrations of Taylor and Fillmore 400-405 XIV.— Pierce' s Administration 405-407 XV. — Buchanan's Administration 408-413 XVI. — Lincoln's Administration and the Civil War 413-416 XVIL— The Causes .' 416-419 XVIII.— First Year of the War 420-425 XIX.— Campaigns of '62 42-5-435 XX— The Work of '63 435-444 XXI.— The Closing Conflicts 444-459 XXII. — Johnson's Administration 459-463 XXIII. —Grant's Administration 464-471 Recapitulation 47 1-478 Vocabulary 479 ILLUSTRATIONS.

I. CHARTS. Chart I. — Voyage and Discovery.. 16 Chart II— Colonial Period 60 Chart III. — Revolution and Confederation 254 Chart IV.— National Period.— First Section 328 Chart V.— National Period.— Second Section 372 Chart VI.— National Period.— Third Section 407 II. MARS. Map I. — Voyage and Discovery 34 Map IL— English Grants - 44 Map III. — French, English, Dutch, Swedish and Spanish Provinces - 152 Map IV.— The United States at the Close of the Revolution 316 Map V.— The United States, 1876 ~. 461 Map VI.— The Territorial Growth of the United States _. ANALYSIS. III. PORTRAITS. Page Page Adams, Samuel 257 Lee, Robert E 433 Adams, John 334 Lincoln, Abraham 414 Baltimore, Lord 183 Marshall, John 338 Morse, Samuel F. B 387 Calhoun, John C 404 Norse Sea-King 14 Chase, Salmon P 463 Clay, Henry '402 Oglethorpe, James 205 Columbus, Christopher 16 Penn, William 175 Davis, Jefferson 422 Scott, Winfield 397 Seward, William H 425 Farragut, David G 450 Sherman, William T 449 Franklin, Benjamin 292 Fulton, Robert 343 Smith, John 58 Grant, Ulysses S 464 Stephens, Alexander H 412 Greeley, Horace 468 Stuyvesant, Peter 155 Greene, Nathaniel 313 Sumner, Charles 470 Hamilton, Alexander 321 Taylor, Zachary 400 Henry, Patrick 252 Thomas, George H 448 Houston, Sam 409 Washington, George 327 Jackson, Andrew 375 Webster, Daniel 376 Jackson, Stonewall 442 Winthrop, John 91 Winthrop, the Younger 130 Jefferson, Thomas 337 La Fayette, Marquis de 371 Wolfe, James 241 IV.

TOPOGRAPHICAL DIAGRAMS. Scene of Burgoyne's Invasion 285 Jamestown and Vicinity 65 Early Settlements in New England 95 First Scene of King Philip's War 104 Encampment at Valley Forge 298 Siege of Charleston 302 Second " " " " " 105 Scene of Operations in the South 304 Third " " " " " 107 Scene of Arnold's Treason 306 Siege of Louisburg 122 Siege of Yorktown 315 Scene of the Pequod War 127 Scene of Hull's Campaign 348 East and West Jersey 169 The Niagara Frontier 351 Philadelphia and Vicinity 177 Scene of the Creek War 355 Country of the Savannah 208 Scene of Taylor's Campaign 389 First Scene of French and Indian War. 219 Scene of Scott's Campaign 394 Scene of Braddock's Defeat 226 Scene of Operations in West Virginia. 420 The Acadian Isthmus 228 Vicinity of Manassas Junction 421 Vicinity of Lake George 231 Scene of Operations in the South-west. 423 Vicinity of Quebec 240 Scene of Campaigns in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania 432 Scene of the Battle of Bunker Hill 262 Siege of Boston 268 Vicinity of Richmond 434 Battle of Long Island 273 Vicksburg and Vicinity 437 Scene of Operations about New York.. 276 Battles of Trenton and Princeton 278 Sherman's Campaign 446 Operations in Virginia 453 V. SKETCHES.

The Capitol Frontispiece. The Treaty between Governor Carver and Massasoit gg Roger Williams's Reception by the Indiansj^lligv^. 93 The Old Stone Tower at Newport /x..~...~^£\ 135 The Exile of the Acadians 1...S..JX.26..]

Introduction

. 1 . The history of every nation is divided into periods. For a while the genius of a people will be turned to some particular pursuit. Men will devote themselves to certain things and labor to accomplish certain results. Then the spirit of the age will change, and historical facts will assume a different character. Thus arises what is called A Period in History. In studying the History of the United States it is of the first importance to understand the periods into which it is divided. 2. The people of Europe were more than a hundred years in making themselves acquainted with the shape and character of the New World. During that time explorers and adventurers went everywhere and settled nowhere. To make new discoveries was the universal passion ; but no body cared to plant a colony. As long as this spirit prevailed historical events bore a common character, being produced by common causes.

Hence arose the first period in our history — the Period of Voyage and Discovery. 3. As soon as the adventurers had satisfied themselves with tracing sea-coasts, ascending rivers and scaling mountains, they began to form permanent settlements. And each settlement was a new State in the wilderness. Every voyager now became ambitious to plant a colony. Kings and queens grew anxious to confer their names on the towns and commonwealths of the New World. Thus arose a second period — the Period of Colonial History. 4. Then the colonies grew strong and multiplied. There were thir teen little sea-shore republics. The people began to consult about their privileges and to talk of the rights of freemen. Oppression on the part of the mother-country was met with resistance, and tyranny with defiance. There was a revolt against the king; and the patriots of the different colonies fought side by side, and won their freedom. Then they built them n

INTRODUCTION.

. a Union, strong and great. This is the Period of Revolution and Con federation. 5. Then the United States of America entered upon their career as a nation. Three times tried by war and many times vexed with civil dissensions, the Union of our fathers still remains for us and for posterity. Such is the Period of Nationality. 6. Collecting these results, we find four distinctly marked periods in the history of our country : First. The Period of Voyage and Discovery; A. D. (about) 1000-1600. Second. The Colonial Period; A. D. 1600-1775. Third. The Period of Revolution and Confederation; A. D. 1775-1789. Fourth. The National Period; A. D. 1789-1875. In this order the History of the United States will be presented in the following pages.

Part I. Voyage And Discovery

A. D. 1000—1600.

Chapter I. The Icelanders And Norwegians In America

THE western continent was first seen by white men in A. D. 986. A Norse navigator by the name of Herjulfson, sailing from Iceland to Greenland, was caught in a storm and driven westward to Newfound land or Rabrador. Two or three times the shores were seen, but no landing was made or attempted. The coast was low, abounding in forests, and so different from the well-known cliffs of Greenland as to make it certain that another shore hitherto unknown was in sight. On reaching Greenland, Herjulfson and his companions told wonderful stories of the new lands seen in the west. 2. Fourteen years later, the actual discovery of America was made by Lief Erickson. This noted Icelandic captain, resolving to know the truth about the country which Herjulfson had seen, sailed westward from Greenland, and in the spring of the year 1001 reached Labrador.

Im pelled by a spirit of adventure, he landed with his companions, and made explorations for a considerable distance along the coast. The country was milder and more attractive than his own, and he was in no haste to return. Southward he went as far as Massachusetts, where the daring company of Norsemen remained for more than a year. Rhode Island was also visited; and it is alleged that the hardy adventurers found their way into New York harbor. 3. What has once been done, whether by accident or design, may easily be done again. In the years that followed Lief Erickson's discovery, other companies of Norsemen came to the shores of America. Thorwald, Lief's brother, made a voyage to Maine and Massachusetts in 1002, and is said to have died at Fall River in the latter state. Then another brother, Thorstein by name, arrived with a band of followers in 1005 ; and in the year 1007, Thorfinn Karlsefne, the most distinguished mariner of his day, came with a crew of a hundred and fifty men, and made ex plorations along the coast of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and perhaps as far south as the capes of Vir ginia.

Other companies of Icelanders and Norwegians visited the countries farther north, and planted colonies in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Little, however, was known or imagined by these rude sailors of the extent of the country which they had discovered. They supposed that it was only a por tion of Western Greenland which, bending to the north around an arm of the ocean, had reappeared in the west. The settlements which were made were feeble and soon broken up. Commerce was an impossibility in a country A NORSE SEA-KING OF THE ELEVENTH CENTURY. where there were only a few wretched savages with no disposition to buy and nothing at all to sell. The spirit of adventure was soon appeased, and the restless Northmen returned to1 their own country. To this unde fined line of coast, now vaguely known to them, the Norse sailors gave the name of Vinland ; and the old Icelandic chroniclers insist that it was a pleasant and beautiful country. 4.

During the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries occasional voyages continued to be made; and it is said that as late as A. D. 1347 a Norwegian ship visited Labrador and the north-eastern parts of the United States. The Norse remains which have been found at New port, at Garnet Point and several other places seem to point clearly to some such events as are here described ; and the Icelandic historians give a uniform and tolerably consistent account of these early exploits of their countrymen. When the word America is mentioned in the hearing of VOYAGE AND DISCOVERY. the Icelandic schoolboys, they will at once answer, with enthusiasm, " Oh, yes; Lief Erickson discovered that country in the year 1001." 5. An event is to be weighed by its consequences. From the dis covery of America by the Norsemen, nothing whatever resulted.

The world was neither wiser nor better. Among the Icelanders themselves the place and the very name of Vinland were forgotten. Europe never heard of such a country or such a discovery. Historians have until late years been incredulous on the subject, and the fact is as though it had never been. The curtain which had been lifted for a moment was stretched again from sky to sea, and the New World still lay hidden in the shadows.

Chapter II. Spanish Discoveries In America

IT was reserved for the people of a sunnier clime than Iceland first to make known to the European nations the existence of a Western con tinent. Spain was the happy country under whose auspicious patronage a new world was to be added to the old ; but the man who was destined to make the revelation was not himself a Spaniard : he was to come from genial Italy, the land of olden valor and the home of so much greatness. Christopher Columbus was the name of that man whom after ages have justly rewarded with imperishable fame. 2. The idea that the world is round was not original with Columbus. Others before him had held a similar belief; but the opinion had been so feebly and uncertainly entertained as to lead to no practical results. Copernicus, the Prussian astronomer, had not yet taught, nor had Galileo, the great Italian, yet demonstrated, the true system of the universe.

The English traveler, Sir John Mandeville, had declared in the very first English book that ever was written (A. D. 1356) that the world is a sphere ; that he himself, when traveling northward, had seen the polar star approach the zenith, and that on going southward the antarctic con stellations had risen overhead ; and that it was both possible and practicable for a man to sail around the world and return to the place of starting : but neither Sir John himself nor any other seaman of his times was bold enough to undertake so hazardous an enterprise. Columbus was, no doubt, the first practical believer in the theory of circumnaviga tion ; and although he never sailed around the world himself, he demonstrated the possibility of doing so. 3. The great mistake with Columbus and others who shared his opinions was not concerning the figure of the earth, but in regard to its size.

He believed the world to be no more than ten thousand or twelve thousand miles in circumference. He therefore confidently expected that after sail ing about three thousand miles to the westward he should arrive at the East Indies ; and to do that was the one great purpose of his life. 4. Christopher Columbus was born at Genoa, a seacoast town of North western Italy, in A. D. 1435. He was carefully educated, and then devoted himself to the sea. His ancestors had been sea men before him. His own inclination as well as his early training made him a sailor. For twenty years he traversed the Mediter ranean and the parts of the Atlantic adjacent to Europe; he visited Iceland ; then went to Portugal, and finally to Spain. The idea of reaching the Indies by crossing the Atlan tic had already pos sessed him.

For more than ten years the poor enthusiast was a beg gar, going from court CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. to court, explaining to dull monarchs and bigoted monks the figure of the earth and the ease with which the rich islands of the East might be reached by sailing westward. He found one appreciative listener, after ward his constant and faithful friend — the noble and sympathetic Isa bella, queen of Castile. Ee it never forgotten that to the faith, and insight, and decision of a woman the final success of Columbus must be attributed. 5. On the morning of the 3d day of August, 1492, Columbus, with his three ships, left the harbor of Palos. After seventy-one days of sailing, in the early dawn of October 12, Rodrigo Triana, who chanced to be on the lookout from the Pinta, set up a shout of " Land !

" A gun was fired as the signal. The ships lay to. There was music and jubilee ; lOOO llOO 1200 Central Period of the Middle Ages. 35. Union of Castile and Leon. 52. Freder ick Barbarossa 24 Conrad II. The CEU SADES. 39. Henry the „-,-.,» . »-=- „,- -r. Black. 8- Louls VI. 26. Louis IX. 85. P 56. Henry IV. 37- 1'"""" VII. 80. Philip II. HOUSE 01 OAPET IN 71. Conquest of Ireland. FEANCE. 35. Stephen. 17. Canute. Henry I. 15. Magna Charta 66. Wil li;i 111 1. 54 Henrv II. 72. Ed DANISH KINGS IN ENG- LAND. 89. Ri chard I. The NOEMANS. The PLANTAGENETS. Heroic Age. ■IEF EEI0KS0N, an Icelandic navigator, sailing westward THE WESTERN CONTINENT UNKNOWN from Greenland, discovers the coast of Labrador, and makes 21. Erik Upsi sent as bishop to Vinland. explorations as far south as Rhode -vT'1 Island.

V_JS ; Bjarne Herjulfson driven by ~^0^~ y^^r a storm within sight of the £j^ A^5 American coast A. D. 986. Ml> ~£r**. -fcSSS" "«^^ 2. Thorwald Erickson re- '<7?7Th^Vr turns to America and re- -Lj I(jV mains thrta years. ■ 5. Thorstein Erickson co mes to America. 7. Thorfinn Karlsefne ex plores the coast of Massachus etts. I AMERICA UNDER THE ABORI — [ -^WvK&ES Ms) . Icelandic discov <& Jf^^^-Jfyfh SPANISH English ■i<^V^\ » ...__ .__ French " J^f A. D. 1000 - 1620. PORTCGESE « y/ CHART I. \- > 1-400 1500 1600 35. Columbus born. 15. John Huss. 56. First book written in English, in 98. De Gam a doubles the Cape which the author, Sh John Mandeof Good Hope and reaches ville, declares the spherical figure the East Indies. of the earth and the practicabil- .a T ity of cir cumnavigation. Luther „,"""' ' Westpha- 80.

Cha rles VI. PRINTING IN VENTED. lia. 22. Charles vii. The Reformation. tfap v. 6i. Louis xi. 19. Charles V. n st >Barlholomew. 15. FrailClS I. 89. Henry IV. HOUSE OP VA- 9. John Calvin. TslTQ nr »» wrt-m ilO. Louis XIII. LUlb. 85. Hen ry VII. . ___ 77. Ric hard II. The PHEITANS. 43. Louis XIV .jj^ 74. Fer dinand and Isabella. Wars of the Roses. 9 Henrf ,1^ v, 3 Jam<* L »dii. The LANCASTEE* 53-Mary' 25. Charles I. vickiitfe. 58. Eliza beth. Edward III. The YOEKS. The THDOES. The STUAETS 84. R aleigh attempts - CMDrDCAM MATIOMC 97- John Cabot to found a eolo : EUROPEAN NAIIUNb. discovers North America. ny in Wgima. 76. Fro bisher. 24. Verrazzani. 7 Settlement at r} . _j^-»- Jamestown. jfyQ ff ssV 98- SeDastian Cabot. *A[>- Sftffhtttr 79. Sir Francis Drake •4$> ££>R" y'O 34- Cartier. v^v sfCgjg> rk'V 98' De La Roche# "*<-iV^ VO"^^ 28.

DeNarvaez. 7. Hudson. 62. Ribanlt with the Hutrue 47. A company of Norsemen in America. 42. Roberval. 4. De Monts and Cham. 99. Amerigo Vespucci. plain. AL TRIBES. * Landon oihie- 5. Port Royal 92. Discovery of Amerfounded. icabytfolunibus. «• &*-^ Cham plain. ■**■ 65. Melen dez. 25. De Ayllon's voyage. reen. 20. ThePu ellow. 13. Ponce de Leon's exritans at e(j. plorations. Plymouth. lue. rown 39- De Soto- I v u. roWn- —— — ■— 2- Gosn°»d- 1. Cortereal. 65. St. Aug ustine founded. and just at sunrise Columbus himself first stepped ashore, shook out the royal banner of Castile in the presence of the wondering natives, and named the island San Salvador. During the three remaining months of this first voyage the islands of Concepcion, Cuba and Hayti were added to the list of discoveries ; and on the bay of Caracola, in the last named island, was erected out of the timbers of the Santa Maria a fort, the first structure built by Europeans in the New World.

In the early part of January, 1493, Columbus sailed for Spain, where he arrived in March, and was everywhere greeted with rejoicings and applause. 6. In September of the following autumn Columbus sailed on his second voyage. He still believed that by this route westward he should reach, if indeed he had not already reached, the Indies. The result of the second voyage was the discovery of the Windward group and the islands of Jamaica and Porto Rico. It was at this time that the first colony was established in Hayti 'and Columbus's brother appointed governor. After an absence of nearly three years, Columbus returned to Spain in the summer of 1496 — returned to find himself the victim of a thousand bitter jealousies and suspicions. All the rest of his life was clouded with persecutions and misfortunes.

He made a third voyage, discovered the island of Trinidad and the mainland of South America, near the mouth of the Orinoco. Thence he sailed back to Hayti, where he found his colony disorganized ; and here, while attempting to restore order, he was seized by Bobadilla, an agent of the Spanish government, put in chains and carried to Spain. After a disgraceful imprisonment, he was liberated and sent on a fourth and last voyage in search of the Indies ; but besides making some explorations along the south side of the Gulf of Mexico, the expedition accomplished nothing, and Columbus, overwhelmed with discouragements, returned once more to his ungrateful country. The good Isabella was dead, and the great discoverer found himself at last a friendless and despised old man tottering into the grave.

Death came, and fame afterward. 7. Of all the wrongs done to the memory of Columbus, perhaps the greatest was that which robbed him of the name of the new continent. This was bestowed upon one of the least worthy of the many adventurers whom the genius and success of Columbus had drawn to the West. In the year 1499, Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine navigator of some daring but no great celebrity, reached the eastern coast of South America. It does not appear that his explorations there were of any great importance. Two years later he made a second voyage, and then hastened home to give to Europe the first published account of the Western World. Vespucci's only merit consisted in his recognition of the fact that the recent discoveries were not a portion of that India already known, but were in reality another continent.

In his published narrative all reference to Columbus was carefully omitted ; and thus through his own craft, assisted by the unappreciative dullness of the times, the name of this Vespucci rather than that of the true discoverer was given to the New World. 8. The discovery of America produced great excitement throughout the states of Western Europe. In Spain especially there was wonderful zeal and enthusiasm. Within ten years after the death of Columbus, the principal islands of the West Indies were explored and colonized. In the year 1510 the Spaniards planted on the Isthmus of Darien their first con tinental colony. Three years later, Vasco Nunez de Balboa, the governor of the colony, learning from the natives that another ocean lay only a short distance to the westward, crossed the isthmus and from an eminence looked down upon the Pacific.

Not satisfied with merely seeing the great water, he waded in a short distance, and drawing his sword after the pompous Spanish fashion, took possession of the ocean in the name of the king of Spain. 9. Meanwhile, Juan Ponce de Leon, who had been a companion of Columbus on his second voyage, fitted out a private expedition of dis covery and adventure. De Leon had grown rich as governor of Porto Pico, and while growing rich had also grown old. But there was a fountain of perpetual youth somewhere in the Bahamas — so said all the learning and intelligence of Spain — and in that fountain the wrinkled old cavalier would bathe and be young again. So in the year 1512 he set sail from Porto Rico ; and stopping first at San Salvador and the neighboring islands, he came, on Easter Sunday, the 27th of March, in sight of an unknown shore.

He supposed that another island more beautiful than the rest was discovered. There were waving forests, green leaves, birds of song and the fragrance of blossoms. Partly in honor of the day, called in the ritual of the Church Pascua Florida, and partly to describe the delightful landscape that opened on his sight, he named the new shore Florida — the Land of FloAvers. 10. After a few days a landing was effected a short distance north of where, a half century later, were laid the foundations of St. Augustine. The country was claimed for the king of Spain, and the search for the youth-restoring fountain was eagerly prosecuted. The romantic adven turer turned southward, explored the coast for many leagues, discovered and named the Tortugas, doubled Cape Florida, and then sailed back to Porto Rico, not perceptibly younger than when he started. 11.

The king of Spain rewarded Ponce with the governorship of his Land of Flowers, and sent him thither again to establish a colony. The aged veteran did not, however, reach his province until the year 1521, and then it was only to find the Indians in a state of bitter hostility. Scarcely had he landed when they fell upon him in a furious battle; many of the Spaniards were killed outright, and the rest had to betake themselves to the ships for safety. Ponee de Leon himself received a mortal wound from an arrow, and was carried back to Cuba to die.

Chapter III. Spanish Discoveries In America

— CONTINUED. THE year 1517 was marked by the discover}' of Yucatan and the Bay of Campeachy by Fernandez de Cordova. While exploring the northern coast of the country, his company was attacked by the natives, and he himself mortally wounded. During the next year the coast of Mexico was explored for a great distance by Grijalva, assisted by Cor dova's pilot; and in the year 1519, Fernando Cortez landed with his fleet at Tabasco and began his famous conquest of Mexico. These events, however, do not properly belong to the History of the United States. 2. Of all the daring enterprises which marked the beginning of the sixteenth century, that of Ferdinand Magellan — though not immediately affecting the history of the United States — is worthy of special mention. A Portuguese by birth, a navigator by profession, this man, so noted for extraordinary boldness and ability, determined to discover a south-west rather than a north-west passage to Asia.

With this object in view, he appealed to the king of Portugal for ships and men. The monarch listened coldly, and did nothing to give encouragement. Incensed at this treatment, Magellan threw off his allegiance, went to Spain — the usual resort of disappointed seamen — and laid his plans before Charles V. The emperor caught eagerly at the opportunity, and ordered a fleet of five ships to be immediately fitted at the public expense and properly manned vdth crews. 3. The voyage was begun from Seville in August of 1519. Sailing southward across the equinoctial line, Magellan soon reached the coast of South America, and spent the autumn in explorations, hoping to find some strait that should lead him westward into that ocean which Balboa had discovered six years previously. Not at first successful in this effort, he passed the winter — which was summer on that side of the equator — somewhere on the coast of Brazil.