A school history of the United States

Front matter

MICE'S SCHOOL

JLliO JL i^I\l ^

UNITED STATES m

Preface

I HAVE, in the following pages, related the early history of colonial Virginia somewhat more fully than I have done that of any one of the other colonies, because (1) Virginia was founded many years before the oldest of them ; (2) during the time Virginia remained the only English community in America, the problem as to whether English colonization could be carried out in that region was finally solved. Previous to 1620, the year in which Massachusetts, the next English colony to be founded, was first settled permanently, the right of private property in the soil had been granted in Virginia, slaves had been brought in, an extensive trade with England carried on, a judicial system put in force, a college projected, and the first American legislature had met. These were events of extraordinary importance under the special circumstances, and really form as much a part of the history of the other English colonies as of Virginia.

In relating the events of early colonial history I have grouped the colonies together according to their economic and social character, as well as according to their local situation. Thus the account of Virginia has been followed up with an account of the other Southern colonies, in which the general conditions differed but little. For the same reason the

New England colonies have next been treated in a separate

4 PREFACE

group, though, if the chronological method were observed, Massachusetts would come immediately after Virginia. So with the Middle colonies in their turn. In this way, a clearer idea is obtained of tlie development of the various groups of colonies along the lines peculiar to themselves.

Of all the wars in which the United States has been engaged, the great contest between JS'orth and South is the one which, for many years, will be studied with the most interest. In the light of this fact, I hope it will not seem inappropriate to have narrated it, even in a short history of this kind, at much greater proportionate length than any other four years of our national annals, however crowded with military events.

In the treatment of the principal questions that have divided the people of the Southern and Northern States, the point of view of this work is Southern, but I have aimed to present this side in a temperate and moderate spirit, the only spirit becoming in a history of our reunited country.

PHILIP ALEXANDER BRUCE.

Introduction

PAGE

The Indians 9

PERIOD I. Discovery and Exploration

Norse Voyages 16

Portuguese Explorations 17

Early English Explorations 24

Spanish and Portuguese Explorations 26

Early Frelich Explorations 32

Permanent French Colonization 35

Later English Explorations 39

English Failures in Colonization 41

PERIOD II. Permanent Colonization and Development

Southern Colonies — Virginia Southern Colonies — Maryland Southern Colonies — North Carolina Southern Colonies — South Carolina Southern Colonies — Georgia New England Colonies — Massachusetts New England Colonies — Rhode Island New England Colonies — Connecticut .

New England Colonies — New Hampshire

56 58 61 64 66 70 72 73

CONTENTS

New England Confederation Middle Colonies — New York Middle Colonies — New Jersey- Middle Colonies — Pennsylvania Middle Colonies — Delaware Social and Economic Condition of the Colonies Means of Communication and Forms of Government

PAGE

78 81 82 84 85 91

PERIOD III. Growing Union of the Colonies

The Lesser French and Indian Wars The Great French and Indian War Struggle for the Possession of the West Disagreements with Great Britain Immediate Causes of the Revolution Opening of the Revolution, 1775 .

Events of the Revolution, 1775-1776

PERIOD IV. Independence

Events of the Revolution, 1776-1777 Events of the Revolution, 1778 Events of the Revolution, 1779-1780 Events of the Revolution, 1781 Weakness of the Confederation .

Adoption of the Constitution

AND Confederation

135 145 149 158 165 169

PERIOD V. Under the Constitution — Union

Washington's Administration 175

John Adams's Administration 181

rfefferson's Administration ...,•,.. 183

CONTENTS 7

PAGE

Monroe's Administration . . 202

John Quincj' Adams's Administration 207

PERIOD VI. Under the Constitution — Division

Van Buren's Administration 225

Harrison and Tyler's Administration 228

Taylor and Fillmore's Administration 240

Pierce's Administration ........ 243

Admission of New States, 1829-1861, and General Development 255

PERIOD VII. Under the Constitution — Disunion

Lincoln's Administration — The War of Secession, 1861

The War in the East and on the Coast, 1863

The End of the AVar, 1865 .

PERIOD VIII. Under the Constitution — Reconstruction

Johnson's Administration 324

CONTENTS

PERIOD IX. Under the Constitution — Reunion

Hayes's Administration Garfield and Arthur's Administration Cleveland's First Administration .

Benjamin Harrison's Administration Cleveland's Second Administration McKinley's Administration .

Admission of New States, 1861-1903 Progress of the Nation to 1900 Roosevelt's Administration .