A first book in American history

Preface

In preparing a first book of American history, it is necessary to keep in mind the two purposes such a work is required to serve. There are children whose school-life is brief ; these must get all the instruction they are to receive in their country's history from a book of the grade of this. To another class of pupils the first book of American history is a preparation for the intelligent study of a textbook more advanced. It is a manifest waste of time and energy to require these to learn in a lower class the facts that must be restudied in a higher grade. Moreover, primary histories which follow the order of larger books are likely to prove dry and unsatisfactory condensations. But a beginner's book ought before all things else to be interesting. A fact received with the attention raised to its highest power remains fixed in the memory ; that which is learned listlessly is lost easily, and a life-long aversion to history is often the main result produced by the use of an unsuitable textbook at the outset.

The main peculiarity of the present book is that it aims to teach children the history of the country by making them acquainted with some of the most illustrious actors in it. A child is interested, above all, in persons. Biography is for him the natural door into history. The order of events in a nation's life is somewhat above the reach of younger pupils, but the course of a human life and the personal achievements of an individual are intelligible and delightful. In teaching younger pupils by means of biography, which is the very alphabet of history, we are following a sound principle often forgotten, that primary education should be pursued along the line iv PREFACE.

of the least resistance. Moreover, nothing is more important to the young American than an acquaintance with the careers of the great men of his country.

• The superiority of works of history in our time over those of other ages lies in the attention given to the development oi the life of the people as distinguished from the mere recital of public events. The biographical method here adopted offers a great advantage, by giving the younger pupil interesting glimpses of life in other times by means o\ personal anecdote. The usages of European courts, the dwellings and arts iA the Indians, the struggles of pioneers in the wilderness, the customs of the inmates of frontier houses, the desolations of the early wars with the savages, the homespinning and other domestic handicrafts, the stately manners and ostentatious dress of our forefathers, and many other obsolete phases of life, are vividly suggested to the pupil's mind not by dry didactic statements, but in unforgetable stories of real people. This line of instruction is much furthered by the running comment of the accompanying illustrations.

It has often been lamented that no adequate provision is made in a school course for teaching the principles of moralitv. Rut the teaching of abstract principles is generally unavailing to produce good conduct. In the preparation of the present work I have been surprised to find how abundant are the materials for moral instruction by example in the careers of our great men. The perseverance of Columbus, of Hudson, and of Morse, the fortitude of John Smith, of Standish, ami o( Boone, tan not but excite the courage of those who read the narratives of their lives. No intelligent pupil will follow the story of Franklin's industrious pursuit of knowledge under difficulty without a quickening of his own aspirations. What life could teach resolute patience, truth-telling, manly honor, and disinterested public spirit better than that of Washington ? And where will a poor lad struggling with poverty

find more encouragement to strictest honesty, to diligent study, and to simplicity of character than in the history oi Lincoln ?

It would be a pity for a country with such examples in her his-

PREFACE. V

tory not to use them for the moral training of the young. The faults as well as the virtues of the persons whose lives are told here will afford the teacher opportunities to encourage right moral judgments.

In the matter of illustrations, the publishers have shown a liberality without precedent, I believe, in the preparation of books of this class. The talents and skill of some of the most eminent illustrators in America have been brought into requisition to lend a charm to the first lessons in American history. Should this example be generally followed in the preparation of school-books, it may produce notable results ; a general refinement of taste and feeling ought to follow an early acquaintance with works of real artistic value. The pictures have been made under the author's supervision, and are meant to be essential aids to the pupil rather than mere decorations. The younger the pupil the more must one have recourse to the imagination in teaching. Some of the pictures convey information additional to that in the text ; the object of most of them is to suggest to the pupil a vivid conception of the narrative.

Perhaps the most novel feature of the book is the system of picture maps. To the untrained eye of the younger pupil an ordinary map has not much meaning, but the beautiful and effective bird's-eye views here first used in a school-book will leave a conception in the mind of a child distinct and ineffaceable.

Of course, the mode of studying such a book may be what the teacher pleases. Brief suggestions for a topical recitation are appended to each lesson. Recitations should not be verbal repetitions of the text ; nor should they, in this grade, be precise and exhaustive. If the pupil is taught to give the substance of the narrative in his own words, it will make him assimilate what he has studied, and prove a valuable training in thought and expression. Several superintendents of schools in large cities have declared in advance their desire to introduce this book as a class-reader, thus securing an elementary acquaintance with American history without overcrowding the course of study. In using the book as a reader, the topical vi PREFACE.

questions will still be of service to make sure that attention has been given to the substance of the lesson.

The definitions at the close of each lesson give chiefly the meaning of the word as used in the text. It is important that the pupil pass no word without a clear comprehension of its force, and that he be taught to observe carefully the pronunciation of proper names. The judicious teacher will take pains to have the pupil examine the illustrations carefully, and make sure that their force is understood. The maps will be readily comprehended, and are not likely to be slighted.

Contents

I. — The Early Life of Columbus .

II. — How Columbus Discovered America III. — Columbus after the Discovery of America IV. — John Cabot and his Son Sebastian . Y. — Captain John Smith VI. — More about Captain John Smith VII. — The Story of Pocahontas VIII. — Henry Hudson ....

IX. — Captain Myles Standish .

II. How Columbus discovered America

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About two hundred years before Columbus sailed, there arrived in the city of Venice [ven'-is] one day three travelers, coarsely dressed in Chinese fashion. They said that they were three gentlemen named Polo, who had left Venice many years before. The)' had almost forgotten how to speak Italian, and at first their own relatives thought them foreigners and impostors. But they gave a magnificent banquet at which they all appeared in rich robes. They changed their garments again and again as the feast went on. Every robe taken off was cut up and given to the servants. At last they took their old garments and ripped them open, and poured out before the guests a collection of precious stones of untold value.

One of these gentlemen, Marco Polo, whose portrait you see here, wrote a book of his travels, describing the vast riches of Eastern countries, before unknown to people in Europe. Columbus had read this book, and it was to find a new way to reach the rich countries seen by Polo that he was now resolved to sail partly around the globe.

MOW COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA.

In spite of the power which the King of Spain gave him to force ships and seamen to go with him, Columbus found the greatest trouble in fitting out his expedition, so much were the sailors afraid of the ocean. But at last all was read}-. Those who were to sail into " The Sea of Darkness" with Columbus took the sacrament and bade a solemn farewell to their friends, feeling much like men condemned to death. They embarked in three little vessels, only one of which had a deck over it.

Columbus went to the Canary Islands first. Then with bitter lamentations the men took leave of the last known land, and sailed into seas in which no ship had ever been. Columbus tried to cheer them with the stories he had read in Marco Polo's book, of the riches of the great country of China. But he also deceived them by keeping two separate accounts of his sailing. In the one which he showed to his companions he made the distance from Spain much less than it really was.

But they were greatly alarmed to find that, as they went west, the needle of the compass did not point directly to This change, though well known now, was probably as surprising to Columbus as to his men, but he did his best to keep up their courage.

The weather was fine, and the winds blew always from the east. This alarmed the sailors more than ever, for they were sure they would get no wind to come back with.

COLUMBUS READING POLO'S BOOK.

the north star.

HOW COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA.

One day the wind came around to the southwest, which was a great encouragement.

But presently the ships struck great masses of sea-weed, and all was grumbling and lamentation again. The frightened sailors remembered old stories of a frozen ocean, and imagined that this must be the very place. When the wind fell to a calm, they thought the ships might lie there and rot for want of wind to fill the sails.

They were getting farther and farther away from Europe. Where would they find food and water to last them till they got home? They thought their commander a crackbrained fool, who would go on to their destruction. They planned, therefore, to throw him into the sea, and go back. They could say that, while he was ffazinsr at the stars, after his fashion, he had tumbled over.

But the worst disappointments were to come. One day the glad cry of " Land ! " was raised. Columbus fell on his knees to return thanks, while the men scrambled up into the rigging.

But it proved to be only a cloud. On the 7th of October another false alarm disheartened the sailors more than ever.

From the first Columbus had pointed to sea-weed, and other supposed signs of land, until the men would no longer listen to his hopeful words. Now the appearance of some song-birds, a heron, and a duck, could not comfort them. The great enterprise was about to end in failure, after all,

IO linw COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA.

when, on the 11th of October, the sailors found a branch of a thorn-tree with berries on it. At length a carved

stick was found, and the men began to believe that they were really near to some inhabited land.

During the night which followed this discovery no one on the ships slept. About ten o'clock Columbus saw a glimmering light appearing and disappearing, as though some one on shore were carrying a torch. At two o'clock a sailor sighted land.

The morning light of Friday, October 12, 1492, showed the Spaniards a beautiful little island. Columbus dressed himself in scarlet, and planted the Spanish standard on the shore, throwing himself on the earth and kissing it, while the naked Indians wondered whether these men in bright armor had flown from the skies in their winged boats or had sailed down upon the clouds. The sailors, latch' so ready to cast Columbus into the- sea, now crowded about him, embracing him and kissing his hands.

When the Indians had recovered from their hrst surprise, they visited the ships, some of them in canoes, and others by swimming. They brought with them a ball of cotton yarn, bread made from roots, and some tame parrots, which, with a few golden ornaments, they exchanged for caps, glass beads, tiny bells, and other trifles, with which thev could adorn themselves.

HOW COLUMBUS DISCOVERED AMERICA.

II

The island which Columbus first discovered was a small one, which he called San Salvador, but we do not now know which of the West India Islands it was. He thought that he was on the coast of Asia. But where were the rich islands and great cities and houses roofed with gold, of which Marco Polo had written two hundred years before?

From island to island Columbus sailed, looking for these things, not knowing that they were thousands of miles away. Finding the island of Cuba very large, he concluded that it was a part of the mainland oi Asia.

I m-pos'-tors, people who pretend to he what they are not. Crack'-brained, crazy. Stand'-ard, national flag. Ar'-mor, a dress to protect the person in battle, usually made of metal.

12 HOW COLUMBUS DM ED AMERICA.

in your own words about —

'eturn of the l J - What Marco Polo wrote.

What Columbus was looking for.

eparture.

Hi ■ Map at the top of page i.)

The discover)-.

D- red—

1492 of the discovery of America. About how many hun-

dred years ago ?

III. Columbus after the Discovery of America

( ery kind to the natives. At one time

a poor savage was captured by the sailors and broug- Columbus, who was standing- on the high after-castle of the ship. The terrified Indian sought to gain his favor by

great man with a ball of cotton varn. lumbus refut t, but he put upon the Indian's

a pretty colored cap ; he hung bells in his ears, and tied strings of green beads about his arms. Then he sent ture ashore, where his friends were afterwar- admiring his ornaments.

up an Indian who was crossing in an open canoe a wid<

from one island to another. This man had a piece of sava-bread and a gourd of water for hii He also had a bit of red paint with which to drf rale his L pearing anion;' arid

COLUMBUS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

a string of beads procured from the white men. He was rowing to a neighboring island to carry the news of the coming of the Spaniards. His canoe was taken on board, he was fed with the best food of the ship, and put ashore at his destination.

Having got one of his vessels ashore on the coast of Hayti [ha'-tee], which he called Hispaniola [his-pan-ee-o'- lah], Columbus built a fort of the timber from the wrecked vessel and left here a little colony.

But now he began to think of carrying home the good news of his great discovery. In January, 1493, he set sail for Spain. On the 12th of January, when all were looking forward to a joyful return, a terrific storm threatened the wreck of the ship and the burying in the sea all memory of the great discovery. Prayers were said and vows were made, for the safety of the ship.

To preserve the memory of his discovery if all else should be lost, Columbus wrote two accounts of it, which he inclosed in cakes of wax and put into two barrels. One of these was thrown into the sea ; the other was set upon the stern of the vessel, that it might float off if the ship should go down. He hoped that one of these barrels might drift to the coast of Europe and be found.

Columbus at length reached the islands called the Azores. Here, when the storm had abated, some of his men went ashore to perform their vows at a little chapel,

COLUMBUS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

and were made prisoners by the Portuguese governor. Having got out of this difficulty, Columbus put to sea and met another gale, which split his sails and threatened to wreck the vessel. He finally came to anchor in a Portuguese port, where he no doubt felt some exultation in showing what Portugal had lost by refusing his offers. *■

In April he reached Barcelona [bar-sav-lo'-nah], a Spanish city, and made his entry in a triumphant procession. At the head marched the Indians whom he had brought

back with him. These were well smeared with paint and decorated with the feathers of tropical birds and with golden ornaments. Then

•♦ft li' ' *' ""*' '"v? COLUMBUS

I* r)^_ i *""S» "jli RETURNS IN TRIUMP parrots and stuffed birds were borne in the procession with articles of gold. Columbus followed, escorted by Spanish knights proud to do him honor. Ferdinand and Isabella received him under a can-

COLUMBUS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

opy of gold brocade. As a mark of special honor, they caused him to sit down while he related his discoveries.

This was the happiest moment of the troubled life of Columbus. He who had been thought insane was now the most honored man in Spain.

The rest of 'his story is mostly a story of misfortunes. The people in his first colony on the island of Hispaniola quarreled among themselves and maltreated the Indians, until the latter fell on them and killed them all. The second colony was also unfortunate. Columbus was not a wise governor, and he had many troubles in trying to settle a new country with unruly and avaricious people.

An officer sent out to inquire into the disorders in the colony sent Columbus home in chains. The people were shocked at this treatment of the great navigator, and so were the king and queen, who ordered the chains removed. When Columbus appeared before Isabella and saw tears in her eyes, he threw himself on his knees, while his utterance was choked by his sobs.

COLUMBUS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

COLUMBUS IN CHAINS.

After this he was not permitted to return to his colony ; but in 1502 he made his fourth voyage to America, trying to find a way to get through the mainland of South America in order to reach India, which he thought must lie just beyond. He was at length forced to run his worm-eaten vessel aground near the shore of the island of Jamaica fjamay'-cah]. Thatched cabins were built on the deck of the stranded ship, and here Columbus, a bedridden invalid, lived miserably for a year.

One faithful follower, named Diaz [dee'-ath], traded a brass basin, a coat, and his two shirts, to an Indian chief for a canoe, in which after horrible suffering Diaz reached Hispaniola. Meantime the men on the wrecked ship got provisions from the Indians in exchange for trinkets. Some of the men ran away from Columbus and lived with the savages.

The Indians now got tired of providing food in exchange for toys, and Columbus and his men were at the point of starvation. Knowing that an eclipse of the moon was about to take place, he told the Indians that a certain god would punish them il they did not provide for him, and, as a sign, he said the moon would lose its light and change color that very night. No sooner did the eclipse appear, than the Indians brought him all the provisions at hand, and the Spaniards did not lack after that.

COLUMBUS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

Help at length reached Columbus, and he returned to Spain broken in health and spirits. Queen Isabella, who had been his best friend, died soon after his return. Columbus died on the 20th of May, 1506. He believed to the last that he had discovered the

COLUMBUS EEFORE ISABELLA.

eastern parts of Asia, a new continent.

He never knew that he had found

After-castle, a cabin built above the deck at the stern of a ship in ancient times, to enable the sailors to shoot down upon the deck of an enemy's vessel. Casava [kas-ah'-vah], a sort of bread made of the root of the tapioca-plant. Gourd [goard], the fruit of a vine of the same family as the pumpkin, with a hard and woody shell, which is still used as a dipper or bottle in many parts of America. Can'-o-py, a covering or awning spread overhead. Bro-cade', silk goods with gold or silver thread woven in it, or woven with raised figures. Avaricious [av-a-rish'-us], fond of money, eager for gain.

Tell in your own words about — Columbus and the Indians.

The voyage home.

The triumphant reception.

The colonies planted by Columbus.

Columbus in chains.

His last voyage and shipwreck.

His return and death.

The pupil may be asked to write out briefly his impression of the usefulness, the character, and<the fate of Columbus.

i8

JOHN CABOT AND HIS SON SEBASTIAN.

IV. John Cabot and his Son Sebastian

The food eaten four or five hundred years ago was mostly coarse and unwholesome. The people were therefore very fond of all sorts of spices which they mixed with almost everything they ate. These spices were brought from Asia by caravans. It was chiefly to get to the land of spices by sea that Prince Henry the Navigator tried to send ships around the southern point of Africa. Columbus had also tried to reach the " Spice Islands " of Asia in his voyage to the west.

Now another Italian was to try it. This man was John Cabot [cab'-ot]. Like Columbus, he was probably born in or near the city of Genoa; like Columbus, he studied much about geography as it was then understood ; and, like Columbus, he was a great traveler. He moved to Venice and then to Bristol in England.

The Italian merchants traveled farther than any others in that day. One of Cabot's long trading journeys had

carried him into Arayitek«g bia as far as the city of Mecca [mek'-kah].

Here he saw the caravans that brought their loads of costly spices on the backs of camels from the countries of the East. Now the people of Europe in Cabot's time, having very few printed books, knew almost nothing about these far-away Eastern countries.

"Where do these spices come from?" Cabot asked of the men belonging to the caravan.

They answered that they brought them from a country far to the east of Mecca, where they bought spices of other caravans which brought them from a land yet farther to the east. From this Cabot reasoned as Columbus had done, that, if he should sail to the west far enough, he would get around the world to the land of spices. It would be something like going around a house to come in bv the back door.

While Cabot was living in England there came great news out of Spain. One Christopher Columbus, it was said, had discovered the coasts of India by sailing to the westward, for Columbus thought the land he had found a part of India. When this was told in England, people thought it " a thing more divine than human to sail by the west into the east." And when Cabot heard the story, there arose in his heart, as he said, "a orreat flame of desire to do some notable thing - ."

While Columbus had waited in discouragement for Ferdinand and Isabella to accept his project, he had sent his brother Bartholomew Columbus to Henry the Seventh, then King of England, to offer the plan to him. What answer the king gave to Bartholomew is not known, for, before the latter got back to Spain, Christopher Columbus had returned from his first voyage.

But now Cabot offered to this same King Henry of England to make a voyage like that of Columbus. As the Atlantic had already once been crossed, the king readily agreed to allow Cabot to sail under his authority.

JOHN CABOT AM) HIS SON SEBASTIAN.

In May, 1497, Cabot set sail from Bristol in a small vessel with eighteen men, mostly Englishmen. Cabot sailed much farther north than Columbus, and he appears to have discovered first the island of Cape Breton, now part of the Dominion of Canada. He went ashore on the 24th of June, and planted a large cross and the flag of England, as well as the flag of St. Mark, the patron saint of Venice. He also discovered the mainland of North America. Cabot was thus the first to see the American continent. Columbus discovered the mainland of South America a year later. Cabot did not see any Indians, but he brought back some of their traps for catching wild animals.

He got back to England in August, having been gone but three months. He brought news that he had discovered the territorv of the Emperor of China.

The king gave him a pension, he dressed himself in silks, and was called " The Great Admiral."

It is to be feared this sudden rise

CABOT AND HIS TWO COUNTS.

in the world puffed him up a great deal. To one of his companions he promised an island, and another island he was going to bestow on his barber! On the strength of these promises, both of these men set themselves up for counts!

That there were many fish on the new coast was a fact which impressed the practical Bristol people, though Cabot had no thought of engaging in fishery. He imagined that by sailing a little farther south than before he might come to the large island which Marco Polo called Cipango, which is now called Japan. He did not know that the far-off country he had seen was not half so far away as japan. Cabot believed that all the spices and precious stones in the world came from Cipango.

King Henry the Seventh fitted up Cabot with another and much larger expedition. This expedition went far to the north along the coast of America, and then away to the south as far as the shores of what is now the State of North Carolina. Cabot found Indians dressed in skins, and possessing no metal but a little copper. He found no gold, and he brought back no spices. The island of Cipango and the territories of the Emperor of China he looked for in vain, though he was sure that he had reached the coast of Asia.

Cabot's crew brought back stories of seas so thick with codfish that their vessels were made to move more slowly by them. They even told of bears swimming out into the sea and catching codfish in their claws. But v the English people lost interest in voyages that brought neither gold nor spices, and we do not know anything more about John Cabot.

John Cabot's second son, Sebastian, who was with him in this voyage, be-

JOHN CABOT AND HIS SON SEBASTIAN.

came, like his father, famous for his knowledge of geography, and was sometimes employed by the King of Spain and sometimes by the King of England. He promoted expeditions to try to find a way to China by the north of Europe. When a very old man he took a great interest in the sailing of a new expedition of discovery, and visited with a company of ladies and gentlemen the Searchthrift, a little vessel starting on a voyage of exploration to the northeast. Having tasted of " such good cheer " as

the sailors could make aboard the ship, and after making them liberal presents, the little company went ashore and dined at the sign of

the " Christopher," where the lively old gentleman for joy, as it is said, at the " towardness " of the discovery, danced among the rest of " the young company," after which he and his friends departed, "most gently commending" the sailors to the care of God.

Caravan [kair'-a-van], a company of merchants traveling together for safety. No'-ta-ble, worthy of notice. Ad'-mi-ral, a title given to

JOHN CABOT AND HIS SON SEBASTIAN.

the commander of a fleet, and also in old times to a man who had performed some great exploit at sea. Towardness, forwardness. Count, a title of nobility.

Tell in your own words about — Caravans of spices.

The travels of Cabot.

The news from Columbus.

John Cabot's tkst voyage.

John Cabot's second voyage.

Sebastian Cabot.

V. Captain John Smith

On the estate of Lord Willoughby, in the eastern part of England, there was a family of poor tenants named Smith, who had a son born in 1579. They named him John. John Smith is the most common of names, but this was the most uncommon of all the John Smiths. He was apprenticed to learn a trade, but he ran away from his master and became, for a while, a servant to Lord Willoughby, who was going to Holland.

Like most runaway boys, he found the world a hard place, and had to lead a very rough-and-tumble life. He enlisted as a soldier ; he was shipwrecked ; he was robbed and reduced to beggary ; and, if we may believe his own story, he was once pitched into the sea by a company of pilgrims, who thought that he had caused the storm, like Jonah in the Bible. This must have happened not far from shore, for he reached land without the aid of a whale, and went into the war against the Turks. There he killed