Makers of American history; a beginner's book in the history of our country

Preface

This little book is an effort to sketch the lives of some of the makers of American history in such a way as to present the strong points of their characters, and at the same time to narrate the main events in our history. It is believed that the book has a place in the schools in that it may be used in at least three different ways : as a primary history, as a supplement to a more formal school history, and as a supplementary reader.

(i) As a primary history. It is universally conceded that the proper way to teach history to children is by means of biography, and for this purpose the book has been written. Children in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades of school should be given elementary work in United States history, and in our belief this book is adapted to these grades. In order that it may serve as a primary history, geography and review questions have been added at the end of each chapter.

(2) As a supplement to a school history. Many of our best text-books, in narrating the chief events of United States history, for want of space do not give much biography or many incidents in the lives of the principal participants in our history. In connection with such books this volume may easily be used, and thus the teacher can bring vividly before the pupil's mind the makers, as well as the facts, of our history.

(3) As a supplemental-}' reader. The majority of the readers used in our schools are prepared as introductory books to the study of literature, and therefore contain chiefly selections from the best authors. Such readers should be supplemented in every grade by some historical matter, with a view to keeping before the children the greatness and importance of our country among the nations of the world. In the lower grades brief historical anecdotes of our great men should be given, but in the more advanced grades, beginning probably with the fourth reader, short con-

6 PREFACE.

nected biographies can and ought to be read. As such a supplementary reader this book may be used.

In attempting to prepare a book to serve the above-mentioned purposes, the authors realize that the task is a difficult one, but believing that this book contains much which will interest and inspire children, they venture to hope that it will aid teachers in making easier and more pleasant the imparting of a knowledge of United States history to our boys and girls.

I.— Columbus

II.—Americus Vespucius III.— -John and Sebastian Cabot .

IV.— Ponce de Leon. Balboa. De Soto V. — Walter Raleigh ....

VI. — John Smith

VII. William Bradford and John Winthrop

Yi i I.— Roger Williams and Thomas Hooker

IX. Henry Hudson and Peter Stuyvesant

X. — Lord Baltimore .

XL — William Penn XII. — John Locke XIII. — James Oglethorpe XIV. — Marquette and La Salle XV.— James Wolfe XVI. — Daniel Boone XVII.— James Otis .

XVIIL— Patrick Henry XIX.— George Washin< ;ton XX.— Georoe Rogers Clarke XX I .—Benjamin Franklin XX II.— Thomas Jefferson

PAGE

67 75 81 86 92

97 103 112 121 130

165 176

Contents

CHAPTER

XXIII. — Robert Fulton XXIV. — Stephen Decatur XXV. — Andrew Jackson XXVI. — Sam Houston XXVII. — Zachary Taylor XXVIII.— Henry Clay XXIX. — Daniel Webster XXX. — John C. Calhoun XXXI. — Morse and McCormick XXXII. — Jefferson Davis XXXIII. — Abraham Lincoln XXXIV.— Robert E. Lee .

XXXV. — Edison and Bell .

CHAPTER I. Columbus

1436(?)-1506.

FOUR hundred and fifty years ago, little was known about the world and its geography. Nearly every one thought that the earth was flat and had four corners, and that the sun moved daily through the skies across the earth's surface. The only known countries were Europe, northern Africa, and western and southern Asia. No one dreamed that there might be a great continent to the west of Europe.

Of all the peoples of Asia, only the Turks were well known to Europeans. The Turks conquered western Asia, passed into Europe, captured the great city of Constantinople, and made it the capital of their dominions. The Europeans carried on an extensive trade with India, from which country were brought silks, fine cloth and costly jewels. The Turks, on entering eastern Europe, interfered greatly with this trade by refusing to let the merchants of Europe go through their dominions. They would often seize the goods which Christian merchants were bringing in caravans across the deserts of Arabia. Venice and Genoa (Jen o-ah) in Italy, the chief commercial cities of Europe, had become rich and prosperous by trading with India. The loss of this trade was a matter of deep concern to their merchants, who were eagerly hoping that some new route to India might be discovered.

H

MAKERS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

West of Europe lay the Atlantic ocean, which in those days was believed to contain terrible monsters and sea-dragons. No man had dared to sail far upon this deep and unknown ocean until 1492, when a bold sailor crossed it in search of India. Let me tell you of this daring seaman, Christopher Columbus.

His birthplace was the beautiful city of Genoa. His father was a wool comber, — a man "who prepared wool so that it could be

made into thread and cloth.

Christopher was the oldest of four children, having two brothers and one sister.

His father was a poor man, so Christopher's education was neglected. The boy, however, learned reading, writing, some arithmetic and geometry, and drawing. He also attended a university, but his father soon put him to work combine wool.

Unknown Easasi °

Columbus was ambitious and had a great desire to be a sailor. When a boy, he would visit the docks of the city, and watch the ships as they came in from distant parts of the world. The old sailors used to tell him about the marvels of foreign lands. He was not frightened by the stories they told him of giants and monsters, but only wished to see the lands where they were found. When he was fourteen years of age, his father allowed him to join an expedition against Naples, which was at war with Genoa. In this expedition, the boy Columbus by his bravery won the respect of the old soldiers and sailors.

THE WORLD AS KNOWN IN THE TIME OF COLUMBUS.

COLUMBUS.

A few years later, not far from the coast of Portugal, there was fought a naval battle between the Venetians and the Genoese, in which Columbus commanded one of the Genoese ships. He ordered the grappling-hooks to be thrown upon a Venetian vessel and his men to engage in a hand-to-hand encounter with the enemy. In the conflict, his ship was set on fire. When he saw that it was lost, he plunged into the water, and, being a good swimmer, reached the shores of Portugal.

While in Portugal, Columbus became greatly interested in the study of geography. He married the daughter of a Portuguese explorer, and from his wife he secured many maps and charts that her father had used in his explorations.

The studies of Columbus caused him to believe that the world was round. He believed also that he could reach India by sailing west.

Some to whom he made known his belief, laughed at him, but he was not to be discouraged by their ridicule. He became all the more determined to sail west into the Atlantic, if he could only get aid, for, being a poor man himself, he did not have the money to fit out ships for such a dangerous enterprise.

Columbus first applied for help to King John of Portugal, who had a passion for exploration. King John, though he loved adventure, feared that the expedition proposed by Columbus was too hazardous, so he called together the Portuguese geographers. They said that no man could sail west to India, as the world was flat. The geographers thought that Columbus was crazy ; and the king refused to help him in such a scheme.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

l6 MAKERS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

Disappointed, but full of courage, Columbus departed from Portugal. Like every true man who believes that he is right, he decided to continue in his efforts to prove that the earth is round, and that India could be reached by sailing across the Atlantic. How much we should admire Columbus for his perseverance and courage !

Columbus, on his departure from Portugal, went at once to Spain, hoping to get aid from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. From the queen he expected assistance, as she was always ready to help any enterprise which would bring good to her kingdom and increase the knowledge of her people. He had great difficulty, however, in getting permission to appear before the queen to tell of his plans, but at last she heard him. She called together the learned scholars of Spain to listen to the proposals of Columbus. They laughed at him and said that he was certainly a lunatic. " The earth cannot be round, as Columbus declares," said one man, " for, if it is, there will be people on the other side from us walking with their heels upward." Picture to yourself Columbus, the simple sailor, standing before these learned men. His clothes were ragged and he looked like a beggar. But he spoke with the power of a man inspired by a great cause. He grew eloquent as he stated and argued his views as to the shape of the earth, and the possibility of a voyage to India across the Atlantic. But he convinced only one man — a friar, who was a professor in one of the queen's colleges. This good man kept Queen Isabella from rejecting the plans proposed by Columbus, and finally persuaded her to help him, just as he was about to leave to seek aid in France.

A large sum of money was needed to equip ships for the voyage. How was it to be raised? The treasury of Spain was empty, but the queen came to the rescue and said, " I will sell my jewels to raise the necessary funds." A great American named Washington Irving, who wrote about three hundred and fifty years afterwards, has said : "This was the proudest moment in the life of Isabella; it stamped her renown forever as the patroness of the discovery of the New World." But the good queen did not have to sell her jewels, for her offer to do so had the effect of making people believe that, after all, Columbus was not going upon a foolish voyage.

As soon as Queen Isabella decided to help him, Columbus began at once to prepare for what was to be the most famous voyage in all history.

When the ships were ready, few sailors were willing to go, because they believed that in the Atlantic there were great sea-monsters which would take the ships on their backs and toss them into the air, or sink them in the

sea. At length two brothers, Martin and Vicente (Ve-sen'ta) Pinzon (Pen-thon'), who were rich citizens of Palos, joined Columbus. They were seamen of great renown and ability. The magistrates of Palos forced other seamen to join the expedition, and, all being now ready, the last farewells were said, and the three little ships, the Pinta, the Santa Maria, and the Nina, sailed out of the harbor of Palos on the 3d of August (1492). A deep gloom

QUEEN ISABELLA.

fell upon the city, for the people thought that the ships would never be seen again.

Columbus sailed in a southwestern direction. He had with him the mariner's compass and a map drawn by his friend Toscanelli. He carried also a letter of introduction from the King of Spain to the Emperor of China, which country he expected to find on the voyage. On the third day of the voyage the rudder of the Pinta was broken. The sailors were ready to turn back, but Columbus insisted on going on, and soon reached the Canary Islands, where repairs were made. He then sailed due west into the unexplored ocean. When the Canaries passed from their view, the hearts of the crew failed them. The rugged seamen shed tears when they thought of their country, their friends and their families behind them, and of the mystery and peril which lay before them.

After sailing for two weeks, they saw still no sign of land. Columbus had gone farther west than man had ever sailed before, so far that he was afraid to tell his men. The wind blew so constantly from the east that the sailors thought that they would never again see Spain, because there would be no winds from the west to carry them back. A month had passed since the Canaries had been left, and still no land came in view. The crew begged Columbus to return home, but he refused. They then openly defied him, believing that he was leading them to certain death on the unknown and mighty ocean. The sailors would probably have killed the brave man, had there not come signs of land.

They saw certain fish which lived close to land. A branch with red berries on it floated by one ship, and a carved stick was picked up. All gloom then disappeared, for the crew believed that land was near. This was the afternoon of October 1 1, 1492 ; evening approached, and land had not yet been reached. No one on the ships could sleep that night. Columbus stood on the highest deck of his vessel, and about one o'clock he saw a

COLUMBUS.

bright light shining at a great distance. It disappeared, and then he saw it again. The Pint a was in the lead, and about two o'clock in the morning one of her guns was fired to announce that land had been discovered. Rodrigo de Triana (Rod're-go da Tre'ah-nah) was the name of the sailor who first saw land in the New World. At the break of day, October 12, 1492, Columbus saw before him a beautiful green island. In spite of

A20RES >

ROUTE OF COLUMBUS

TIIK ROUTE OF COLUMHLS S FIRST VOYAGE.

all that the wise men of Spain had said, he had actually reached land by sailing west.

Going ashore, he fell upon his knees and gave thanks to God for having brought him safely across the great sea. He and his companions wept for joy, and there upon their knees thanked God for His goodness to them. When Columbus rose from his knees, he drew his sword and claimed the land in the name of Ferdinand and Isabella. The flag of Spain was raised, and all the crew swore to obey Columbus as the ruler for the sovereigns of Spain. They then crowded around Columbus, embracing him

MAKERS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

and kissing; his hands. Those who had resisted him on the voyage fell at his feet and begged him to forgive them.

While Columbus was taking possession of the island, the natives saw the ships, and numbers of them came to the shore. They were afraid*, and stood at a great distance from Columbus and his companions. Finally they approached the Spaniards, bowing to the ground as they advanced. They took the Spaniards by the hands, and were amazed at their white skin. Never before had they seen a white man. The Spaniards were equally amazed at the naked saxages, with their skins painted in many colors. The natural color of their skin was copper, and their black hair was straight, long and coarse. They had high foreheads and piercing eyes. Columbus did not know to what race they belonged ; so he called them Indians, because he thought the land was India. But instead of India, he had reached an island in the Bahama group which lies to the east of Florida.

After a few days Columbus sailed away in search of other lands. He first explored the fertile islands of the Bahama group, and then, sailing southward, discovered Cuba and Haiti (Hay'te). In Haiti he found Indians living in towns containing as many as two thousand inhabitants. These Indians had many gold ornaments, and told Columbus that there was much gold in the mountains. With the hope of securing wealth for Spain, Columbus at once established a colony in Haiti. A fort was built, and thirty-nine Spaniards were left on the island.

Columbus now turned towards Spain, and after a stormy voyage reached Palos in safety. He was received in triumph. The whole city came out to meet him, and his name was honored in all Spain. The king and queen summoned him to Barcelona, and he at once set out on his journey to the court of

AX INDIAN

WEAPON.

Spain. In every city through which he passed, he was received as a prince, and the people looked with awe upon the Indians whom he had brought with him.

When Columbus reached Barcelona, he was carried through the city with great pomp. As he entered the hall in which Ferdinand and Isabella awaited him, they rose from their seats, — an act of courtesy which, in those days, kings showed to princes only. They even ordered Columbus to be seated in their presence, which was permitted only to persons of royal rank. The king and queen heard the marvelous story of discovery, and then they offered prayers of thanksgiving to God. As long as Columbus stayed at Barcelona, he was treated as a prince, and was even invited to ride with the king. How changed now was his condition, for when he first entered Spain he was in rags, and was regarded as a poor dreamer who had probably lost his mind.

Columbus soon prepared for a second voyage to the newly discovered lands. He wished to look after the colony at Haiti, of which he had been made governor, and believed that he would find there great quantities of gold. In preparing for his first voyage, he found it difficult to get sailors to go; but now many persons, even the nobles of Spain, were anxious to join the expedition.

Columbus sailed the twenty-fifth of September, 1493, with seventeen ships and fifteen hundred men, all of whom had hopes of great wealth. When Haiti was reached, Columbus searched for the thirty-nine men whom he had left on the island, but not one could be found. It was learned that all of them had been killed by the Indians, for they had angered the natives by their deeds of cruelty.

Columbus placed another colony on the island and built a city, which he called Isabella, in honor of the Queen of Spain. The land was very fertile, and gold was seen glittering in some of the streams. But in a short while the settlers became dissatisfied, because they did not find gold on every hand. Then they began to find fault with Columbus, as if he were to blame. Their murmurings caused the sovereigns of Spain to appoint another governor in his place. This new governor of Haiti was a cruel man, and by his order Columbus was sent back to Spain in chains, on the charge of having stolen money which belonged

THE LANDS COLUMBUS DISCOVERED. (The'white spots show 7i>/iat Columbus discovered^)

to the Spanish government. These false charges against Columbus angered the king and queen, who immediately released him and received him with much kindness.

Columbus made two other voyages across the Atlantic, and, in addition to Cuba, Haiti and many small islands, he discovered the northern part of South America and a part of Central America, which lands he thought were parts of Asia. The people of Spain were disappointed because these discoveries did not open to them the wealth of India, and therefore Columbus did not receive from the Spaniards the honor which was due him.

COLUxMBUS. 23

After his fourth voyage he returned to Spain, broken in health and feeble from age. Weighted down by disappointment, he was taken ill and died in 1506, being about seventy years of age. King Ferdinand realized, when Columbus was dead, what Spain had gained by his discoveries, and caused a monument to be erected to his memory. The honors which should have gone to Columbus, were given to his descendants, and they became nobles of Spain.

Geography Study. Map of the World. Find China, Japan, India, Arabia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Canary Islands, Bahama Islands, Cuba, Haiti, North and South America. Locate the following cities : Constantinople, Venice, Genoa, Naples, Palos and Barcelona.

Review Questions. — What were the known countries of the world 450 years ago ? What did the Turks have to do with trade to India ? What were the chief trading cities of Europe ? Tell of Columbus as a boy. Tell of his part in the wars against Naples and Venice. Tell of his residence in Portugal. What were his views about the earth ? How did he think India could be reached ? Tell of his proposal to King John of Portugal. How did the King and Queen of Spain receive him ? How did he manage to get aid for his enterprise ? What did the queen say ? Tell of the preparation for the voyage and why the sailors were afraid to go. Give an account of the voyage. In what way did Columbus take possession of the new lands ? Tell of the natives who came to see Columbus. What land had been discovered ? What large islands were discovered ? What did Columbus do in Haiti ? Tell of how he was received on his return to Spain by the people and by the king and queen. Tell of the second voyage. What ill-treatment did Columbus undergo ? How many other voyages did Columbus make and what lands did he discover ? Tell of his death. Write a composition telling what you think of Columbus.

^IBIPS

1451-1512.

THOUGH Columbus was the first white man to touch the shore of the New World, he did not know that he had discovered two new continents. It was Americus Vespucius or Amerigo Vespucci (A-mer-e-go Ves-poo'che), as the Italians called him, who first claimed that a new continent had been reached.

Americus Vespucius was born in Florence, Italy. His early education was intrusted to one of his uncles, who was a learned scholar and a priest. Since Americus was to be a merchant, he was taught geography, and was told of the different people with whom he would trade. He also learned some astronomy and some Latin, but his great ambition was to be a good geographer. In this desire he was encouraged by that same Toscanelli who had drawn a map of the world for Columbus. Toscanelli lived in Florence, and we can imagine young Americus listening to his views about the shape of the earth and the location of the different countries. When his school days were over, Americus became a merchant, an occupation which many of the Florentines followed. He still devoted much time to the study of geography, and bought many charts and maps, which were very expensive in those days.

While Columbus was on his first voyage of discovery, Americus went to Spain and became as excited as the Spaniards over the prospect of having a new route to India. When Columbus returned from his voyage, Americus met him and talked with him about the discoveries. Picture to yourself the two men as they sat together and talked about the wonderful voyage which Columbus had made. Columbus was a tall man with a dignified bearing. He had fair skin and light hair. By his side sat Americus, a thick-set, brawny man, with very black hair. Every expression of his face showed that he was a great thinker.

Columbus believed that Asia had been reached, but Americus thought otherwise, because he knew that the world was so large that one could not reach Asia by sailing westward without going at least three times as far to the west as Columbus had sailed. In 1497, Americus determined to become an explorer, and he entered the service of the King of Spain, who provided him' with four ships in which he sailed from . Cadiz. After sailing west for twenty-seven days, he touched land somewhere in the West Indies.

In some letters which he afterwards wrote to his friends in Florence, Americus told of the many wonderful things which he saw. According to his account, the Indians wore no clothes, were of middle size, and had skin of a reddish color, like that of a lion. They were good swimmers, the women even better than the men. For weapons they used only the bow and arrow, and had never heard a gun or a cannon. One day many natives came on board his ship, and in order to rid himself of them, he had a cannon fired into the air. This frightened them so badly that the men and women jumped overboard and swam to the shore. The Indians did not sleep in beds, but had nets (hammocks), which were suspended in the air. Their homes were made of logs, and were built in villages. They had no form of religion. When a person died, they buried him in a mound, in which water and food were put for him. Some of these people never ate meat except the bodies of men and women taken in war. Others sometimes ate roasted snakes. They raised no grain, and their principal food was roots, worms, and fruits.

After a voyage of more than a year, during which time Americus visited that part of South America now known as Venezuela, he returned to Spain. There he married a lady of noble birth, and was received at court by the king and queen.

In 1499, at the request of the King of Spain, Americus went on his second voyage. He sailed southwest ward, and in twenty-four days touched the northern part of South America. Here Americus saw birds of many colors.

Some were crimson colored, some had variegated green-and-lemon colored plumage, and others were entirely green, black, or flesh colored. _ The songs of these birds so delighted him that he often lingered beneath the trees to listen to their music. The trees were beautiful in their foliage, and the blossoms as fragrant as balm. He almost imagined that they were the trees of paradise. One day as he was admiring the beautiful scenes about him, he came upon a huge and frightful serpent twenty-four feet long, and as large around its body as a man. How great must have been the interest with which his hearers listened to the wonderful tales which he told when he returned to Spain !

In the meanwhile some ships from Portugal, in trying to sail to Asia around the south of Africa, had been driven by the winds to the eastern coast of South America. This fact was reported at once to the King of Portugal, who sent a messenger to Spain asking Americus to command an expedition to the new-found

AMERICUS VESPUCIUS.

*7 land. After much persuasion Americus agreed to sail under the

flag of Portugal. An expedition was fitted out (1501), and

Americus sailed to the southwest, finally reaching the shores of

Brazil. He then passed south of

the Equator along the coast of

South America till he reached the

Antarctic Sea, where he saw great

icebergs. This voyage was the

most important that Americus

made, because it convinced him

that the lands which he saw were

not a part of Asia, but were in

reality a New World. Not one of

all the ancient geographers knew

of these lands, so when Americus

first reported in Europe that a new

continent had been discovered, the

people would not believe him.

He told so many things, however,

about this voyage that his account

was soon accepted as true.

In 1503, he made a fourth voyage, for the King of Portugal. He again visited Brazil and determined its latitude and longitude.

Upon this trip he became absolutely certain that a new continent had been found, and he convinced

the European geographers of this fact, though Columbus claimed that the new lands were a part of Asia. Americus caused maps to be drawn showing to the southwest of Europe a new continent, which was not a part of Asia. Now, the ancient geographers had believed that there were four parts to the world : —

AMERICUS VESPUCIUS.

Europe was one ; Asia, another ; and Africa, another ; so, when the European geographers saw the maps they said that he had found the fourth part of the world.

In 1507, a little geography was printed which told of this fourth part, and in this book the newly discovered lands were called America in honor of Americus Vespucius, because he had discovered a fourth continent. At first the name America was applied only to South America, but in a short while it was used for all the New World. Had our country been named after Columbus, we should now be living in Columbia. To Americus Vespucius properly belongs the honor of having given the name to the. lands lying west of Europe, because he first proved that they were new continents. You will also be interested to know that America is the only continent named after a man, for the other continents take their names from women.

Shortly after his fourth voyage Americus left Portugal and went back to Spain, arriving just as Columbus, worn out and discouraged, returned from his last voyage. He talked to Columbus and tried to help and encourage him. In spite of the fact that Americus had left the service of Spain for that of Portugal, the Spanish king received him at court and made him the chief pilot of the kingdom. Again entering the service of Spain, Americus went on three other voyages. In 15 12 he died, honored and respected as an explorer, astronomer and geographer.