North America : with an especially full treatment of the United States and its dependencies

Front matter

mm

Rfflffii BH mm

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Preface

J v The plan of this series of geographies devotes the } UJ ^entire second volume to North America, thus providing space for a much fuller treatment than has heretofore been customary. In this treatment the authors have left the beaten track to such an extent that some words of explanation seem called for.

Physiographic Basis. — The first four sections are given over to a consideration of certain necessary facts and elementary principles of physiography.

While considerable space is devoted to this physiographic basis, an examination of the text will show that this space is used, not so much in introducing new physiographic matter, as in more detailed statements and explanations. Recognizing the inherent difficulty of the subject for young minds, and believing that, as ordinarily presented in the books, the children fail to grasp the significance of the important basal principles, the authors have attacked the problem in a new way.

In the first place, they have approached the subject differently. Secondly, their controlling idea has been that only so much physiography should be introduced as is actually demanded to explain man's relation to the earth. With this view much physiography which has found its way into some of the modern text-books has been elimivi PREFACE

nated; but that which has been retained has been deemed worthy of a fuller treatment than it ordinarily receives. The human relationship is pointed out in the sections on physiography, and again and again in the succeeding sections.

Causal Sequence. — The authors believe that rational geography must rest upon such a physiographic foundation. It is physiographic conditions which most often furnish the reasons for the location of human industries, the development of transportation routes, the situation of cities, etc. In other words, when the physiographic facts about a given region are clearly grasped, most of the other geographic facts easily arrange themselves as links in a causal chain. Thus the many details touching a certain locality are taught in relation with one another, so that they approach the form of a narrative, rather than that of a mere list of assertions.

It does hot necessarily follow that a given class of children should always begin with the physical features in the study of each section of country. For one reason or another some other portion of the causal series may serve as a better beginning. But the authors are convinced that in a text-book, written for large numbers of children endowed with varying apperceiving experiences, the physiographic features must furnish the best general starting-point in the explanation of the facts of political, commercial, and historical geography.

Types. — Another characteristic of this volume is that it contains comparatively few topics, but deals with each one at some length. As was suggested in the Preface of

PREFACE vil

the First Book, the basal units for the study of geography, although constantly in use, are seldom adequately presented in the text. This applies strikingly, for example, to such topics as farm, cattle ranch, irrigation, lumber camp, and factory. In order to remedy this defect as far as possible, each subject of such a kind is presented with as much detail as space permits, and in connection with that section of country in which it seems most prominent.

For example, lumbering, fishing, and the manufacture of cloth, boots, and shoes receive their most detailed treatment in connection with New England ; the mining of coal and iron ore and the manufacture of iron goods are discussed in connection with the Middle Atlantic States ; and gold mining, irrigation, and grazing are naturally included under the Western States.

The industries and objects thus described, being fairly typical of industries and objects found in other sections, are on that account worthy of being called types. Through the careful presentation of such types, vivid pictures and the appreciation of the pupils are assured.

Reviews. — The fact that a given industry in one section is in many respects unlike the same industry in other sections, offers no obstacle to this plan. Lumbering in Maine necessarily involves the essential features of lumbering in any place. Consequently, having built up a clear conception of the occupation in that locality, all that is necessary when lumbering in the Southern States, or in Michigan, or in Washington is studied, is to review what was formerly learned and state the principal points in which the conditions in the new region differ vi 11 PREFACE

from those already described. Likewise, after the raining of ore in Pennsylvania is taught, the understanding or comprehension of the same industry as carried on about Birmingham, or in northern Michigan, involves a review of facts and a statement of leading differences, with the causes of these differences. Thus, as the study of geography advances, each new section becomes more and more a review of previous study, as it properly should be. By the plan of this series, the third volume, devoted to Europe and the other continents, will provide for a continual review of the United States.

Study by States. — The common method of presenting the geography of the United States is to use the state as the unit. The reasons for this, aside from an appeal to state pride, are not clear. Boundary lines between states are for the most part arbitrary ; they mark no important differences in physiography, industry, or custom ; but, on the contrary, adjoining parts of two states, as, for instance, the adjoining parts of New Jersey and New York, near New York City, may be much more closely related than different parts of a single state.

Partly for this reason the authors have set aside the state as the unit of study. But there are other important reasons for taking this step. When the geography of the United States is studied by states, there is much repetition of the same kind of facts. For example, mining, farming by irrigation, and grazing are common to all the Western States ; and when these industries are named separately for each state, a large amount of space is taken up with a minimum advance in the thought. More than this, the pupil is oppressed and confused by the great number of

PREFACE IX

individual facts which have apparently the same rank. It is not easy for even an adult to escape a feeling of confusion on reading a few pages from any modern geography which treats the subject Iw states.

In order to avoid such waste of space and lack of perspective among the facts, the authors have proceeded by groups of states, rather than by individual states. Thus farming by irrigation is only one topic, and only once treated, for the entire western division of states. Several pages are devoted to a discussion of the subject, including the manner in which irrigation is planned, its influence on the value of land, the localities most noted for irrigation, and the cities in the different states that are largely indebted to it for their growth. These many details are associated as parts of one story. It is believed that by this means the children's minds will be led to dwell long enough upon one topic to insure interest in the topic and at the same time to gain accurate impressions of both general principles and details.

However, inasmuch as geographic facts are often called for by states, a study by states is provided for. At the close of each chapter there are two sets of questions, one of which closely follows the order of the text, while the other reviews the same facts by states.

Summary. — Contrary to the usual custom, the broad, general principles about industries, distribution of inhabitants, mutual relation of city and country, arid dependence of various sections upon one another are included in the closing chapter of this volume. One reason for this' change is that these large facts approach abstractions in their nature, and are, consequently, too difficult to be

X PREFACE

earlier appreciated by children. They are, moreover, to a large extent, a summary of what has preceded, and, therefore, naturally come last. In the same Avay, a broad study and summary of the world, particularly in its relation to North America, will close the third volume.

Political Maps. — Since it is necessary to represent more places and present more details, the political maps in this volume are for the most part- larger than in the First Book. They are, however, of the same quality, and, like those of the First Book, were made by the Matthews-Northrup Company of Buffalo. An important feature is the grading of cities according to population, the larger the city the more important the type used. The principal features of relief are placed upon the map, though without interfering with the clearness of the political features. In the color arrangement care has been used to gain an artistic effect, and at the same time to preserve the distinctness necessary in such maps.

No attempt has been made to preserve the same scale for the different maps. Some books claim to do this, and their authors point to the fact as noteAvorthy. The authors of this series have deliberately declined to make such an attempt for several reasons. In the first place, it is impossible. There must be maps of the World, of North America, of the United States, of a part of the great West, and of New England. Even in those books which point to their uniformity of scale as a merit, maps of five or ten different scales are in use.

The claim for uniformity of scale has no real foundation ; but, if it had, the effect would be undesirable. One of the objects of the study of geography is to teach the

PREFACE XI

meaning and use of maps. To do this one of the first and most fundamental points is to teach the pupil to understand the meaning and importance of the system of proportion, or of "scale." In one book are maps of various scales ; in the first atlas, or the first wall map which the pupil sees, there are still different scales. The pupils must be prepared to expect and to understand these differences, and if is the teacher's duty to see that they are so prepared. By the insertion of Pennsylvania as a key, and by some of our map questions we have attempted to aid in this training of the sense of proportion.

Other Illustrations. — Besides the relief indicated on the political maps, there are individual relief maps, made specially for this series by Mr. E. E. Howell of Washington. The relief maps of the continents, of which but one is included in this volume, are pronounced by experts to be the best thus far made.

The city maps are intended to serve to illustrate the surroundings which determine the growth of a large city, including, of course, the transportation facilities by water and by rail. Attention is also called to the maps showing the distribution of important industries and the diagrams accompanying them. These are all placed in the summary, with which they are most closely related; but the teacher will, naturally, find occasion to use them and refer to them in connection with the study of the earlier sections.

As in the preceding volume, the illustrations have been chosen not as pictures, but as illustrations. Usually they have been made from photographs of actual scenes. Photographs carry more Aveight since they are of necessity xii PREFACE

true, while drawings leave opportunity for the exercise of the fancy, and are oftentimes incorrect. In some cases no photograph could be found to illustrate the point needing illustration. For instance, the animal pictures were drawn by the Matthews-Northrup Company, and a number of other illustrations by Mr. C. W. Furlong of Cornell University.

Acknowledgments. — While valuable suggestion and assistance have been received from many sources, the authors are again constrained to acknowledge particularly the aid received from Mr. Philip Emerson of the Cobbet School, Lynn, Massachusetts. The lists of books and the table of statistics have for the most part been prepared by Mr. R. H. Whitbeck of Cornell University, who has also rendered other valuable assistance.

Part I. A General Study Oe North America Page

Section I. Physiography of North America .... 1 The Growth of the Continent, 1. The Coal Period, 3. The Mountains and Plateaus, 5. Volcanoes, 8. The Trough between the Two Mountain Systems, 9. The Great Ice Age, 12. The Coast Line, 19. Size, Shape, and Position, 21. Relation of Man to Earth, 23.

Section II. Summer and Winter ...... 26

The Sun and its Position, 26. Inclination of the Earth's Axis, 29. Revolution of the Earth around the Sun, 30. The Attraction of Gravitation, 30. Effect of Inclination and Revolution, 31. Summer and Winter, 32. The Length of Day and Night, 34. The Zones, 37.

Section III. Wind and Rain 39

Importance of Winds, 39. The Sea Breeze, 39. The Monsoon Winds, 40. The Effect of a Stove, 41. Cause of the Trade Winds, 42. Effect of Rotation, 43. Effect of Revolution, 44. The Belt of Calms, 45. The Trade Wind Belt, 47. The Horse Latitudes, 49. The Prevailing Westerlies, 50. Eastern United States and Canada, 52. Weather Maps, 56. .

Section IV. Ocean Movements and Distribution of Temperature ........ 59

Wind Waves, 59. Tides. What the Tides are, 60. Height of the Tidal Wave, 61. Effects of Tides, 62. Ocean Currents. Cause of Ocean Currents, 63. The North Atlantic Eddy, 64. The Gulf Stream, 66. The Labrador Current, 66. The Currents in the Pacific Ocean, 68. The Importance of these Currents, 68. Distribution of Temperature, 71. xiii xiv TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Section V. Climate, Plants, Animals, and Peoples . . 70 Climate, 7(3. Plants and Animals. Plants oe the North, 77. Animals of the North, 78. Life on Mountain Tops, 81. Plants and Animals in Western North America, 81. Plants and Animals of the Tropical Zone, 85. Plants and Animals in the Temperate Part of North America, 86. Cultivated Crops and Domesticated Animals, 90. Peoples. Eskimos, 92. Indians, 98. The Spaniards, 97. The French, 98. The English, 99. Westward Migration, 102. Indian Reservations, 103. Slavery, 104. Immigrants to America, 106.

Section VI. Latitude, Longitude, and Standard Time . . 109 Latitude and Longitude. Need of a Means for locating Places, 109. The Streets of a City, 109. Distance North and South of the Equator (Latitude), 111. East and West Distances on the Earth (Longitude), 113. Standard Time, 116.

Section VII. The Continent of North America . . . 120

Part II. The United States . . 121

Section VIII. New England 124

Physiography, 124. Climate, 127. The Forests. Cutting the Timber, 127. Floating the Logs to the Mills, 129. Sawmills and Paper-mills, 130. Maple Syrup and Sugar, 132. The Rocks. Granite, 133. Marble, 135. Slate, 136. Fishing, 136. Mackerel, 137. Halibut and Codfish, 137. Other Ocean Foods, 139. Agriculture, 139. Manufacturing, 141. Cotton Manufacturing, 143. Wool Manufacturing, 144. Leather Manufacturing, 145. Metal Manufacturing, 146. Largest Cities and Chief Shipping Routes. The Large Cities, 148. Boston and Vicinity, 149. Summer Resorts, 151.

Section IX. Middle Atlantic States ..... 15'i

Physiography, 157. Climate, 161. Forests, 162. Fish and Oysters, 163. Agriculture. Dairying, 164. Tobacco, 165. Fruits and Vegetables, 166. Mining Salt, 169. Coal, 170. Oil and Gas, 173. Iron Ore, 174. Iron and Iron Goods, 175. Glass, Pottery, Bricks, etc., 179.

TABLE OF CONTENTS XV

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Largest Cities and Chief Shipping Routes. Location of New York City, 180. Erie Canal, 182. Railways of New York, 185. New York City, 187. Philadelphia and its Chief Shipping Routes, 191. Baltimore, 193. District of Columbia, 195.

Section X. Southern States 200

Physiography, 200. Climate, 204. Forests, 205. Agriculture, 208. Cotton, 209. RiCEr 212. Sugar-cane and Sugar, 213. Fruits, 216. Other Crops, 217. Grazing, 217. Mineral Products. Coal and Iron, 218. Stone, 219. Gold and Precious Stones, 219. Phosphates, 219. Manufacturing, 219. Leading Cities and Shipping Routes. New Orleans, 223. Memphis and Atlanta, 227. Other Cities, 228. Texas, 229. The Territories, 229.

Section XL Central States ....... 234

Physiography and Climate, 234. Settlement of the Mississippi Valley, 236. Agriculture. A Farm in Central Ohio, 238. Fruits, 241. Tobacco, 242. Fine Stock in Kentucky, 242. Caverns, 242. Corn, 243. Wheat, 245. Other Grains, 247. Cattle Ranching, 248. Lumbering, 252. Mineral Products. Building Stone, 254. Petroleum and Natural Gas, 255. Coal, 255. IronJDre, 256. 'Copper, 258. Lead, Zinc, etc., 260. Clays, 260. Principal Cities and Shipping Routes, 261. The Lake Cities. duluth and superior, 261. chicago, 262. elevators, 265. Stock Yards of Chicago, 265. Manufacturing in Chicago, 267. Other Facts about Chicago, 267. Other Cities along the Lakes, 268. The River Cities. Cities along the mississippi, 269. clties along the missouri, 273. Cities in the Ohio Valley, 275.

Section XII. The Western States . . . . . . 281

Early Settlements, 281. Physiography, 283. Climate, 286. Mineral Products, 288. Lumbering, 293. Agriculture, 296. Ranching, 302. Territories, 305. Scenery. The Yellowstone Park, 308. Colorado Canyon, 310. Yosemite Valley, 311. The Cities. Cities in the Interior, 312. Cities on the Pacific Slope, 312.

Section XIII. Territories and Dependencies of the United

Alaska. Climate and Physiography, 323. Fishing, 325.

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Whaling, 326. Sealing, 327. Mining, 328. Cuba and Porto Rico, 330. Physiography and Climate, 331. Forests and Minerals, 331. Agriculture, 332. The Inhabitants, 333. Cities, 334. The Hawaiian Islands. The Volcanoes, 336. Climate, 337. Island Life, 337. Industries, 339. The Hawaiian Islands as a Coaling Station, 339. Guam and Samoa, 340. The Philippine Islands. Physiography, 341. Climate, 342. Resources and Industries, 344. Cities, 348.

Part III. Other Countries Of North America

Section XIV. Countries North of the United States . . 351 Canada and Newfoundland. History, 351. Physiography and Climate, 353. Lumbering, 356. Pishing, 358. Sealing, 361. Agriculture and Ranching, 362. Mining, 365. Trade Routes and Cities, 366. Islands North of North America, 372.

Section XV. Countries South of the United States . . 378 Mexico. Physiography and Climate, 378. History, 380. Agriculture and Ranching, 381. Southern Mexico, 385. The Mines, 386. The Cities, 387. Central America. The Republics, 389. The Nicaragua Canal, 392. The West Indies, 393. Jamaica, 394. Haiti, 395. Lesser Antilles, 397. The Bahamas, 398. The Bermudas, 399.

Section XVI. Summary and Conclusion 403

Physical Geography, 403. Population, 404. Country and City, 405. Country, 406. Cities, 418. Dependence of Different Sections upon One Another, 423. Relation to our Territories and Dependencies, 424. Other Countries of North America, 424. Our Relation to Other Countries, 425. Transportation Routes, 427. Influence of Steam and Electricity, 430. Influence of Modern Inventions on Mode of Life, 431. Influence of our Surroundings on Education and Government, 432. Relation between Man and Earth, 434.

Appendix I. References to Books, Articles, etc. . . 437

Appendix II. 'Tables of Area, Population, etc. . . . 445

LIST OF MAPS

COLORED POLITICAL MAPS

FIGURE

95. North America

PAGE

Facing 120

United States

New England .

Western States

Alaska ....

West Indies, with Map of Cuba and Porto Rico

Dependencies of the United States in the Pacific

" 340

Canada, Newfoundland, and Greenland

Mexico and Central America ....

Mercator Chart of the Wo

rld

" 436

RELIEF MAPS

5. North America ....... Facing 6

13. The Continental Ice Sheet ........ 14

96. Physiographic Map of the United States (with names) . 122

122. Middle Atlantic States 154. Southern States 179. Central States 214. Western States

158 201 235

LIST OF MAPs

CITY .MAPS

FIGURE

117. Boston-, Providence, Portland, and Worcester

144. Buffalo, Rochester, and Albany

146. New York City and Philadelphia

151. Baltimore and Washington .

174. New Orleans. Memphis, Birmingham, and Atlanta

200. Chicago and Milwaukee

204. St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Minneapolis, and St.

209. Detroit. Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburg

244. San Francisco, Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle

292. Montreal and Quebec ......

Pail

OTHER MAPS

36. Monsoon Winds of India

40. Belt of Calms and Trade Winds

42. Belt of Calms and Trade Winds

44. Rainfall Map of the World

40. Rainfall Map of the United States

49. Weather Map of the United States

50. Weather Map of the United States 59. Ocean Currents ....

63. Isothermal Chart of the United States. January

64. Isothermal Chart of the United States. July

65. Plant Zones of North America . 84. Political Map of Xorth America in 1760 86. Settled Part of the United States, 1790

90. Northern and Southern Hemispheres

91. Eastern and Western Hemispheres

92. Meridians of Northern Hemisphere . 94. Standard Time Belts of United States

123. Map showing the Fall Line

) LIST OF MAPS xix

FIGURE PAGE

141. The Erie Canal 182

321. Density of Population in the United States . . . 404

323. Principal Cities and Towns of the United States . . 405

324. Principal Corn-raisinu Districts of the United States 400 326. Principal Wheat-raising Districts of the United States 407 328. Principal Oat-raising Districts of the United States . 408 330. Principal Cotton-raising Districts of the United States 409

333. Principal Tobacco-raising Districts of the United States 410

334. Principal Fruit-raising Districts of the United States 411

337. Coal Fields of the United States 412

310. Iron, Copper, Oil, and Gas Districts. .... 413

341. Gold and Silater Regions, in the United States . . 414

347. Principal Forest Regions of the United States . . 416

348. Fishing Grounds near North America .... 417

349. Principal Manufacturing Districts of the United States 418

353. Navigable Rivers of the United States .... 427

354. Railway Lines in the United States ..... 428

355. Principal Railways of North America .... 429 357. Growth of the United States ...... 432