A Compendium of the History of the United States from the earliest settlements to 1872 ... New edition revised

Front matter

A COMPENDIUM OF THE History of the United States PROM THE' EARLIEST SETTLEMENTS TO 1872. DESIGNED TO ANSWER THE PURPOSE OF A TEXT BOOK IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AS WELL AS TO MEET THE WANTS OF GENERAL READERS. EI ALEXANDER H. Author of the " Constitutional View of the Late War between the Statm," and Professor Elect of History and Political Science in the University of Georgia. NEW EDITION— REVISED. NEW YORK : £. J. HALE & SON, PUBLISHERS, Murray Street. COLUMBIA, S. C, W. J. DUFFIE. 1874. Kiiterod according to Act os Congress, In the year 1872, by ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS, ,*n tbe Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. LaNQE, LlTILR & HlLLMiN, FWNTKBB, ELKCTBOTYPERS AND BTKRECTTTXBS. 108 to 114 Woobtbr St., N.Y.

Introduction

. 1. It is the. purpose of the author of this work to give to the Youth of the country, as well as general readers, a condensed History of the United States of America; em bracing all important facts connected with the discovery and early occupation of the country, within their limits, by immigrants from other lands; together with the facts attending tbe formation of their Governments, and the establishment of those free institutions which have so marked, as well as distinguished them, among the nations of the earth. 2. In the prosecution of this design, the first object will be, after a brief presentation of the facts attending the dis covery of the continent of America, to trace, during their Colonial condition, the History of each one of the separate political Communities known as British Colonies thereon, which afterwards became united under the style of the United States of America, and then to trace the History of these States, so united under their existing Union, down to the present time. 3.

The first part of the work will be the History of the Colonies ; the second part will be the History of the States. With this view, for proper system, the work will be divided into two Books. 1. What is stated to be tbe purpose of tbe Author in preparing this History ? 2. In tbe prosecution of the design, what will be tbe first object ? What the seronri ? 3 What will be the Firs! Part of the work? What the Second r How many Parts will the work bediviiled into, and what will they be called j? What will Book I. treat of? What will Book II. treat of f INTIiODUCTION. Book I. will treat of the discovery, the early settlement, and colonization of the country by the ancestors of the present inhabitants, and the events which led to the as sumption of sovereign or absolute self-governing powers by the respective Colonies.

Book II. will treat of the achievement and establishment of their independence as States, and their subsequent career under their present Federal Union. HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. BOOK FIRST. CHAPTEK I. THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. I. America, including what is styled South and North America, and which is sometimes called the Western Continent, was not generally known to the people of Europe until the year of our Lord 1492, when it was discovered by Chris topher Columbus, a native of Genoa, one of the cities of Italy. Some Norwegians and Iceland ers, at an earlier period, had discovered Greenland and the northern portions of North America, as far south, it is supposed by some, as Massachusetts Bay, to which region they gave the name of Vinland, 2. But their discoveries had been forgotten, and the knowledge of this Hemisphere had been lost to men of 1.

What does the general name of America Include ? What is it sometimes called r In what year was it discovered t By whom ? What is said of the Nor wegians and Icelanders f 2. To whom does the glory of the discovery properly belon™ ! [

Book I. The Discovert Of America

6 letters on the Eastern Continent long prior to the discovery by Columbus; to him, therefore, justly belongs the glory of having discovered the Western World. 3. Columbus was a navigator, and supposed that India, which was known to be in the East, could be reached by sailing due west, without doubling the Cape of Good Hope, at the southern extremity of Africa. From observations of the earth's shadow on the moon during eclipses, as well as from other considerations, he, with others, had come to the conclusion that the earth was round ; and hence he reasoned that by sailing due west he must ultimately reach some land beyond the western sea. Other facts of a different character also excited him to undertake a western exploration. Driftwood floating from the west was some times thrown upon the coasts of the Madeiras, and the dead bodies of two men of an unknown race had also been found upon the coast. 4.

The East Indies, from the earliest ages, had been a mine of wealth to the more western nations, but the over land journey was long and toilsome, and attended with many difficulties and dangers, and at this period it had become a favorite project of Europeans to discover a direct passage by sea. It was more with a view of opening up this new route to India that Columbus set out on his voyage of exploration, than with any idea of discovering a new continent. 5. For aid in the prosecution of his enterprise, he first made application to the government of Genoa, his native place; failing in this, he applied to John II., king of Portugal. King John seems to have amused him and de tained him at his court for some time, while he privately fitted out an enterprise, which was intended tc forestall his undertaking, and deprive him of the glory of the 3.

What made Columbus think the earth was round ? The earth being round what did his reason teach him r 4. What is said of the East Indies ? What was the object of Columbus P S. Of what city and country was Columbus a native ? To whom did he first apply for assistance f To whom next f How was he treated by Kin" John achievement. On the discovery of this fact Columbus left Portugal in disgust. 6. About this period he sent his brother, Bartholomew Columbus, to the court of Hemy VII., king of England, but so many delays occurred that the discovery of the West Indies had actually been made before the king gave a favorable answer to his application. 7. In 1486 he applied for aid to Isabella, Queen of Ara gon. The war that the united kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, under the dominion of Ferdinand and Isabella, had long waged against the Moors of Granada, was draw ing to a close.

Soon after its close, he was invited by the queen to her presence. He was received with distinguished favor, and a favorable answer was given to his application. 8. His demands " that he should be appointed admiral of all the seas which he might explore, and governor of all the continents and islands which he might visit ; that these offices should be hereditary in his family; and that the tenth of everything bought, bartered, found, or got within the bounds of his admiralship, abating only the charge of the conquest, should be settled upon him, and should de scend to his heirs in case of his death," were agreed to ; and a fleet of three vessels, properly manned and equipped, was placed under his command. These vessels were vic tualled for twelve months, and had on board ninety mari ners, besides several adventurers and servants, amounting in all to one hundred and twenty persons.

The whole cost of the expedition was about twenty thousand dollars. 9. The names of the three vessels were the Maria, the Pinta, and the Nina. Of these the Maria was the largest ; and in this vessel Columbus himself sailed. The Pinta was commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon, and the 6. What is said of his application to the King of England f 7. To whom did he apply in 1486 r How was he received ? 8. What were his demands ? Were they agreed to f How many vessels were furnished him r What was the cost of the expedition ? 9. What were the names of the vessels ? From what port did they sail ? On what day [

BOOK I

8 THE DISCOVERT OF AMERICA. Nina by his brother, Vincent Yanez Pinzon. They sailed from Palos, a port in Spain, on the morning of Friday, the 3d of August, 1492. In three days they came in sight of the Canaries. Here they were detained several weeks on account of injuries received by the Pinta. Columbus endeavored to procure another vessel in place of the Pinta, but was unable to do so. The repairs were completed at length, and on the 6th of September, from Gomera, one of the Canaries, these three small vessels boldly sailed westward over a trackless and unknown sea. 10. On the 13th of September, when far from land, as they supposed, the sailors were much alarmed by discov ering the variation of the needle of the 'compass, a phenomenon which had not been observed before. Though Columbus himself did not understand the cause of the variation, yet he invented some plausible reason for it, and succeeded in calming their fears aud in reconciling them to the continuance of their course westward.

But their fears of never again seeing land soon overmastered them and caused great discontent, which broke out in loud murmurs and mutinous threats of forcing the admiral to return. It was with great difficulty that he could retain his ascendancy over them ; and at length he yielded so far to their importunities as to promise that, if there were no signs of land within three days, he would return to the East. 11. Before the three days expired many signs of land be gan to appear ; flocks of strange birds were observed ; the sea became more shallow, and pieces of floating timber were seen. On the night of the 11th of October, Columbus himself saw a light, moving as if borne iu the handof some person, which he considered as evidence, not only of the nearness of land, but also that the land was inhabited.

At two o'clock on the morning of tbe 12th a gun was fired by 10. What alarmed the sailors on the 13th of September ? Had this variation ever been observed before * How did Columbus account for it ? What threats did the sailors make ? What did Columbus do then ? 11. What occurred before the three days expired ? When was land first dis covered ? What land was it ? How did Columbus name it ? the Pinta, as a token that land was in sight. The land proved to be one of the Bahama Islands, called by the natives Gu-an-a-han'-i, or Cat Island, named by Columbus San Salvador, which, in English, means the Holy Saviour. LANDINO OF COLUMBUS. 12. The landing, which took place on the morning of the 12th of October, 1492, was accompanied with every de monstration of gratitude and joy. Columbus, richly dressed in a scarlet uniform, and bearing the royal standard of Spain, was the first to land and press his foot upon the new earth, of which he took possession for and in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella, sovereigns of Castile and Aragon.

Then kneeling, he kissed the earth, and gave thanks to 1 2. When did the landing take place t In whose name did he take posses sion 1 What is said of the Indians ? I" [

BOOK I. THE DISCOVERT OF AMERICA.

10 God for His goodness. Meantime the natives stood around filled with wonder and astonishment at the formidable appearance of these strange and wonderful men, whom they supposed to have descended from the sun; little thinking that these new-comers would soon be their de stroyers. 13. Columbus afterwards discovered and touched at sev eral other islands, amongst them Hispaniola and Cuba, all of which he claimed for his sovereigns, and all of which he supposed to be parts of India. Hence, to these islands has been given the name of West Indies, and the Aborigines, or those then inhabiting both the islands and the conti nent, have received the general name of Indians. ' 14. Of the origin of these tribes or peoples nothing is known with certainty. The manner in which they crossed the Atlantic or the Pacific, and the period at which they arrived on the shores of America, are equally buried in ob scurity.

But it is eviden t that for many years, it may be for many ages, prior to the advent of Columbus, America had been occupied by these heretofore-unknown races. Some nations in the southern part of North America, and some also in South America, had built large cities and had attained to a considerable degree of civilization. But their civilization differed greatly in many respects from that of the East. 15. Many curious remains of ancient structures erected by the aborigines of America still exist. In deep forests, in places far remote from the habitations and cultivated fields of white men, the traveller will sometimes suddenly find himself in the presence of massive ruins, whose ap pearance indicates that they were first erected many centuries ago. Large forest-trees, several hundred years old, are sometimes found growing amongst and on these ruins. 13.

Did Columbus make further discoveries? What name did he eive the Islands? What were the natives called ? s 14. What is known of the origin of those tribes? Had they been Ion" in America ? What is said of their civilization ? 1 5. What is said of ancient buildings found in forests r 16. Perhaps the most highly-civilized and enlightened of all the aboriginal Americans were the Aztecs, in Mexico. the inhabitants of Central America, and the people inhab iting the regions of Peru and Chili in South America. In all these regions the Spaniards, who visited them after Co lumbus' discovery was known, found large cities, well and strongly fortified, with many thousand inhabitants, with large and spacious palaces, and with markets regularly supplied with all the necessaries of life, and with fine and ele gant goods in great variety.

Cortez, she celebrated warrior who penetrated and conquered Mexico, sometime afterwards, in a letter to the Emperor Charles V., says, writing of the city of Cholula: " The inhabitants are better clothed than any we have hitherto seen. People in easy circumstances wear cloaks above their dress; these cloaks differ from those of Africa, for they have pock its, though the cut, cloth, and fringes are the same. The environs of the city are very fertile and well cultivated. Almost all the fields may be watered ; and the city is much more beautiful than all those in Spain ; for it is well fortified and built on level ground. I can assure your highness, that from the top of a mosque I reckoned more than four hundred towers, all of mosques. The number of inhabitants is so great that there is not an inch of ground uncultivated." 17.

The city of Mexico, which was the capital, exceeded Cholula in size, in population, and in the beauty and mag nificence of its buildings. " The paiace of Montezuma (the king) was so large a pile that it opened with thirty gates into as many different streets." The Aztecs, by which name the inhabitants of Mexico have been known in his tory, had made considerable progress in the arts of civilization. Their buildings, their paintings, and sculpture, were very remarkable in many respects. 16. Which nations were most highly civilized? What is said of their mat fcets? What docs Cortez say of ihem ? .„_! 1 7. What is said of the city of Mexico ? Descri' c the Palace of Montezum* What is said of the paintings and sculptures ? [

BOOK I.

12 THE DISCOVERT OF AMERICA. 18. But the civilization of the inhabitants of Peru in South America was of a higher and more refined character than that of Mexico. The people were milder and gentler in their manners, and their religion did not possess the savage feature of offering human sacrifices to idols, as that of the Aztecs did. They had a tradition that about four hundred years before the arrival of the Spaniards in the country, Manco Capac, their first Inca, by which name their kings were called, a white man of wonderful knowledge, clothed in flowing garments, came amongst them from some unknown region, and taught them agriculture and many useful arts ; " to construct reservoirs and aqueducts ; to make ploughs, harrows, and shoes for their own feet. His wife taught the women to spin, to weave, and to make their own garments." 19.

His descendants and successors pursued the same gentle policy, and over whatever territories their sway be came extended, whether by conquest or otherwise, they taught the inhabitants " to plough, and manure, and cul tivate the soil." They constructed numerous aqueducts, many miles in length, by which almost the whole coun try of Peru was watered, some relics and monuments of which remain unto this day. 20. The tribes of Indians in that portion of North America now known as the United States were possessed of but little knowledge; their arts were very few; their build ings were rude huts called wigwams, and agriculture was practised to a very limited extent. War and the chase were the favorite occupations of the men. Whatever labor was done was done by the women. They were ignorant of let ters ; literature they had none, and their traditions were few and uncertain.

But even these people dwelt not in unrelieved darkness. They were simple in their manners 18. Describe the Peruvians. What tradition did they have ? What did Manco Capac and his wife teach the people ? 19. What policy was pursued by the descendants of Capac f What did thev construct ? J 20. What iB said of the Indians in the country now known as the United States ! faithful to their word, grateful for kindness, and believed that, when they were taken away by death, they would go to happy hunting-grounds prepared by the Great Spirit. 21. Columbus, on his.return to Spain, was received with distinguished honor by Ferdinand and Isabella. He after wards made several voyages to the New World, planted colo nies, and built cities and forts. On his third voyage he visited the continent of South America, and landed at several places on the coast of Cumana.

The mainland of North America he never saw. But after all his great services to.Spain ; after having added a New World to the dominions of that country, it was his misfortune to meet with ill-treatment and injustice. He was superseded in his command, and, under a charge of high treason, was sent home in chains. The charges against him were not sustained, and he was set at liberty, but the remainder of his life seems to have been inactive and uneventful. He died in obscurity and poverty at Val-la-do-lid', in Spain, on the 20th of May, 1506, in the 71st year of his age. 22. America was so called from Americus Vespucius, another navigator, who, after the report of Columbus' wonderful discovery had excited so much interest among the scientific men in Europe, set out on a new exploration, and made much more extensive discoveries than Columbus had.

In 1499 he published a map of the coast and a de scription of the lands he had visited. His delineations of the coast were so accurate, and his descriptions of the coun tries were so vivid and so delightfully written, that, by the common consent of his contemporaries, the New World was called America. 21 How was Columbus received in Spain ? Did he make other voyages » What treatment did he receive after this ? What was he charged with ? W here did he die ? At what age ? 22. From whom was"America named ? And why ? [

BOOK L

14 THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA.

Chapter II. Settlement Of Virginia

1607—1609. The first permanent British Settlement in America, at Jamestown. 1. It does not come within the scope and purpose of this work to set forth the progress of the Spaniards and Portuguese in their conquest and occupation of the Southern portion of the continent. The history of that progress has very little to do with the history of the British colonies, or of the United States. What connection there may be will be noticed at the proper time. It will suffice at present to state that the Spaniards extended their VIRGINIA COAT OF AP.M6. conquests over Mexico, East and West Florida, Central America, nearly the whole of South America, except the Empire of Brazil, which was taken possession of by the Portuguese. It may interest the youthful reader to be told that Brazil is the only independent country or state on the Continent of America which is now governed by descendants of any of the royal families of Europe. 2.

The French, at an early day after the discovery of America, made voyages to the New World, and planted many colonies and settlements. Nova Scotia, and all that region north of the Biver St. Lawrence now known as British America, were first occupied by them. They also planted the colony of Louisiana, and built the city of New Orleans, near the mouth of the Mississippi. From the Chapter n. — 1. What nations took possession of South America? What is said of Brazil ? 2. In what region did the French plant colonies ? What was the consequence of the conflicting claims of the French and English ? Upon what were the claims of Great Britain founded ? CHAP. II.] THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA. 15 conflicting claims of Great Britain and France to vast tracts of country, the colonists of both countries frequently suffered greatly, not only from wars between those two countries, but also from wars with the neighboring Indian tribes. 3.

The claim of Great Britain to plant colonies in North America to the exclusion of others, was founded upon the right of priority of discovery, which, by the general consent of nations, is regarded as good and valid. In the year 1497 John Cabot, a Venetian, in the service of Henry VII., King of England, discovered the mainland of North America, fourteen months before Columbus landed upon the mainland of South America. In the year 1498 the Cabots, father and son, John and Sebastian, explored the coast-line from Labrador as far south as the Chesapeake Bay. And in 1517 Sebastian Cabot sailed up Hudson's Straits and Bay until he reached the sixty-seventh degree of North latitude; it being an object of the British Gov ernment, even at that early day, to find a northwest pas sage to India. 4. The first attempts of the English to plant colonies in North America failed.

About the year 1578 an expedi tion, to which Queen Elizabeth contributed, was fitted out for Labrador, the object of which was to work the mines of gold which were supposed to abound in that region. The colony consisted of about one hundred settlers, but they were afraid to be left in that dreary region, and so returned without even an effort to accomplish anything. But the hopes of colonizing the country at some point were not abandoned. In 1578 a charter was granted by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, empowering him to take possession of extensive regions of country. Gilbert sailed for North America, but was compelled to return without accomplishing his purpose. 3. What discoveries were made by the Cabots ? What was the object of tbo British Government ? 4. What is said of the first attempts of the English to found colonies ? [

BOOK 1.

16 THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA. 5. A new expedition was fitted out in 1583 by Gilbert and his brother-in-law, Sir Walter Kaleigh, under the same charter. This time they went through the ceremony of taking possession, in the Queen's name, of the island of Newfoundland. On their return, Sir Humphrey Gilbert was drowned. Sir Walter Kaleigh, not discouraged by the unfortunate termination of the former expeditions and the sad fate of Gilbert, determined on planting a colony fur ther south. He obtained a grant or charter for colonizing all the country between the parallels of 33° and 45° north latitude, on the coast of North America. In honor of Elizabeth, the virgin Queen, in whose reign the charter was granted, and on account of the great beauty of the lands embraced in it, the name of Virginia was given to the whole country covered by this patent.

Some settlements were made by Raleigh, under this extensive grant, on the Roanoke in North Carolina in 1585-1587, but they were subsequently abandoned. 6. Though these first efforts at colonization failed, yet the spirit of adventure was kept alive, and the claim of the English, founded upon the discovery of Cabot, was not abandoned. It was, however, one hundred and fifteen years after the discovery of America by Columbus that the Eng lish succeeded in making their first permanent settlement on the continent. This was effected under the following circumstances and auspices. In 1606 James I., King of England, who had succeeded Elizabeth on the throne, di vided the country embraced in the Gilbert and Raleigh charter into two districts. The northern district he granted by a new charter to a company organized in England, known as the Plymouth Company.

The country embraced in this district was called North Virginia. The southern district was granted to another company organized in Eng- 5. What was accomplished by Sir Humphrey Gilbert and Sir Walter Ralei<*h ? What was the extent of Sir Walter Raleigh's grant ? What was the country called, and why ? 3 6. How long after the discovery of America before the first permanent settle CHAP. II.J THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA. 17 land, known as the London Company. This district was called South Virginia. South Virginia extended from Cape Fear to the Potomac ; North Virginia from the mouth of the Hudson River to Newfoundland. The region between the Potomac and the Hudson Rivers was to be neutral ground, on which the companies were at liberty to form settlements within fifty miles of their respective boundaries. 7.

By the London Company, so organized, the first Eng lish colony was firmly planted on the continent in the year 1607, at Jamestown, on the River James, in the present SETTLEMENT AT JAMESTOWN. State of Virginia. The river was so called in honor of the King, James I. of England. ment was made by the English ? How was it effected ? What were the names of the two new companies ? How was the Raleigh grant divided ? What °TwK£ wa" theefiCrhstPcorLny planted ? What name did it take, and why ? Of [

BOOK L

18 THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA. The colony took the general name of Virginia. The num ber of settlers consisted at first of one hundred and five persons. But few of them were laborers, and all were sin gle, that is, unmarried men. The plan of government was set forth in the charter. The officers consisted of seven members of Council, viz., Bartholomew Gosnold (the nav igator, who, in the year 1603, had visited and explored the shores of Massachusetts), John Smith, Edward Wingfield, Christopher Newport, John Ratcliff, John Martin, and George Kendall. Mr. Wingfield was chosen president or governor. 8. The season after their arrival proved very sickly, and nearly half their number died before the cool weather set in. Among those that died was Bartholomew Gosnold, one of the ablest men of the Council.

The native people, the savages, called Indians, as before stated, were numerous in the neighborhood, and were sometimes hostile. Captain Newport, who had command of the squadron in which the settlers had come over, after a short stay sailed for Eng land, leaving the colony in a very feeble condition. Pro visions were scarce, the water was bad, and many of the men were sick. To add to their misfortunes, they quarrel led among themselves. They excluded Captain Smith from the Council; deposed Mr. Wingfield, the president, and put Mr. Ra/tcliff in his place. Their condition rapidly grew worse, until they gave the management of their affairs to Captain Smith, whose great skill, capacity, and courage, soon restored harmony, brought order out of chaos, and laid the foundations of a permanent prosperity. 9.

The government of the settlers, with the right to pass all laws, was vested in the members of the Council, who were appointed by the stockholders of the Company; the what number did the first settlers consist ? What are the names of the first Council appointed ? Who was first president ? 8. What is said of the condition of the colony ? Who died ? What is said of the Indians ? How long did Captain Newport remain ? How did the colonists act ? How was harmony restored ? 9. What was the government of the colony at first ? What was the estab OHAP. III.]* THE COLONT OF VIRGINIA. 19 governor, or president, was also, according to the charter, appointed by the stockholders. Changes in these particulars soon followed, as we shall see. The religion of the Church of England was established as the religion of the colony, and the right of trial by jury was secured to all persons charged with murder, or other crimes which were punish able with death. There was no restriction on trade, lands descended according to the common law, and permission to coin money was granted to the colony.