Institutional history of the United States

Front matter

j.A.JOSEPhl

INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY

UNITED STATES

Preface

I HAVE studied long and hard to write this preface. So far I have thought of nothing I wanted to say. Of course this book fills a " long-felt want," and will " answer the needs of many people." I sincerely hope so. Its mistakes are all my own, and its imperfections are not without a parentage. If you, reader, get as much good from the book in reading it as I have received from writing it, you will feel amply repaid. Five years of labor on its thought and style have taught me some valuable lessons. I hope my readers will not wish that those years had taught me one more, — not to have published the result of my labor. I cannot do better than mention the names of the books used in preparing the Institutional History, and then allow my friends to write its preface. The book is a departure in history writing, but I hope a useful one.

J. A. JOSEPH,

President Central Normal College.

Danville, Ind., March, 1897.

LIST OF BOOKS USED IN THE PREPAEATION OF THIS WOEK.

Rogers : Constitutional History as seen in American Law. G. P. Putnam's

Sons, New York.

Stevens : Sources of the Constitution of United States. Macmillan & Co.,

New York.

Brown : Dictionary of American Politics. A. L. Burt, New York. Schaff: Church and State. Scribner's Sons, New York. Payne : History of America. Macmillan & Co., New York. Bryce : American Commonwealth. Charles H. Seyel & Co., Chicago. Bancroft : History of the Constitution. D. Appleton & Co., New York. Larrabee: The Railroad Question. Schulte Publishing Co., Chicago.

V vi LIST OF BOOKS USED.

Hubert, Jr. : Inventors. Scribner's Sons, New York.

Williams : History of the Negro Race in America. Putnam's Sons, New York.

Dunbar: Currency, Finance, and Banking. Ginn & Co., Boston.

Justin Winsor : Narrative and Critical History of America. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York.

Hinsdale : How to Study and Teach History. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

Scott : Development of Constitutional Liberty. Putnam's Sons, New York.

Von Halle : Trusts. Macmillan & Co., New York.

Prescott : Conquest of Mexico. John W. Lovell Co., New York.

Prescott : Conquest of Peru. John W. Lovell Co., New York.

Davidson: Reference History of the United States. Ginn & Co., Boston.

Taussig : Tariff History of the United States. Putnam's Sons, New York.

Harrison: The Meaning of History. Macmillan & Co., New York.

Fiske : Critical Period of American History. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York.

Furber : Which? Protection or Free Ti-ade. Park Publishing Co., Hartford, Conn.

Century Company : Cheap Money. Century Co., New York.

Parkman : Montcalm and Wolfe. Little, Brown & Co., Boston.

Lodge : Short History of English Colonies. Harper & Brothers, New York.

De Tocqueville : Democracy in America. John AUyn, Boston.

FisKE : Beginnings of New England. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York.

NicoLiNi : History of Jesuits. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

FiSKE : American Political Ideas. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Parkman : The Jesuits in America. Little, Brown & Co., Boston.

Hodgin: Indiana and the Nation. D. C. Heath & Co., Chicago.

Cochrane : Wonders of Modern Mechanism. J. B. Lippincott, Philadelphia.

Gilman: History of American People. Estes & Lauriat, Boston.

Norman : AVorld's Metal and Monetary Systems. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

Campbell : The Puritan in England, Holland, and America. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Thompson : Personal Recollections of Sixteen Presidents. Bowen-Merrill Co., Indianapolis.

Columbia College : Studies in History, Economics, and Law. Columbia College, New York.

Bancroft : History of United States. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

Rabbeeno : American Commercial Policy. IVLacmillan & Co., New York.

Rhodes : History of United States. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Parkman: Half-century of Conflict. Little, Brown & Co., Boston.

Sherwood: History and Theory of Money. J. B. Lippincott, Philadelphia.

Moore : American Congress. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Curtis : United States and Foreign Powers. Flood & Vincent, Meadville, Pa.

LIST OF BOOKS USED. Vll

Sterne : Constitutional History and Political Development of the United States. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

McCoNNELL : History of the American Episcopal Church. Thomas Whittaker, New York.

Dkaper : Civil Policy of America. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Baird : The Huguenot in America. Dodd, Meade & Co., New York.

Trainer : How to Study United States History. A. Flanigan, Chicago.

Adams : Three Episodes in Massachusetts History. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York.

Carleton: Boys of '61. Estes & Lauriat, Boston.

Coffin : Old Times in the Colonies. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Coffin : Building of the Nation. Harper & Brothers, New York.

McM ASTER : History of the People of United States. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

Frothingham : Rise of the Republic. Little, Brown & Co., Boston.

HiLDRETH : United States History. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Bryant and Gay : Popular History. Scribner's Sons, New York.

LossiNG : Encyclopedia of United States History. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Sparks : American Biography. Harper & Brothers, New York.

Cyclopedia of American Biography. D. Appleton & Co., New York.

Cooper : Naval History of United States. Armstrong & Son, New York.

Johnston : History of American Politics. Henry Holt & Co., New York.

Henry: Voice of the People. J. E. Sherrill, Danville, Ind.

Von Holst : Constitutional History. Callaghan & Co., Chicago.

Schouler : United States History. Dodd, Meade & Co., New York.

Adams : United States History. Scribner's Sons, New York.

Blaine: Twenty Years in Congress. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Stevens: History of the Confederacy. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Davis : Rise and Fall of the Confederate States. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Grant's Memoirs. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Life of Lincoln. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Life of Garfield. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Sherman's Memoirs. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

Delmar : History of Monetary Systems. Charles H. Kerr & Co., Chicago.

Treaties and Conventions of the United States. U. S. Report.

Larnard : History for Ready References. C. A. Nichols Co., Springfield, Mass .

Ingram : History of Slavery. College Book Store, Danville, Ind.

ScHAFF : History of the Christian Church. Scribner's Sons, New York.

Fisher : History of the Christian Church. Scribner's Sons, New York.

Ridpath : History of Mankind. Jones Brothei'S Publishing Co., Cincinnati.

Ridpath : History of the World. Jones Brothei'S Publishing Co., Cincinnati.

Martin: Civil Government. A. S. Barnes & Co., Chicago.

Andreavs : Civil Government. American Book Company, Cincinnati.

Townsend : Civil Government. American Book Company, Cincinnati.

Vlll LIST OF BOOKS USED.

WiLsox : The State. D. C. Heath & Co., Boston.

Headley : Washington and his Generals. Hnrst & Co., New York.

RosEKRANZ : History of Education. Appleton, New York.

RosEKRANZ : Philosophy of Education. Appleton, New Y^ork.

Prescott : Ferdinand and Isabella. Hurst & Co., New Y'ork.

Old South Leaflets. I). C. Heath & Co., Boston.

State and United States Records and Constitutions.

MacConx : Historical Geography of United States. Silver, Burdett & Co.,

Boston.

ScuDDER : American Commonwealth. Houghton, INIifflin & Co., New York. American History Leaflets. A. Lovell & Co., New Y'ork. Parkman : Pioneers of New France. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Doyle : The English in America. Henry Hall & Co., New Y^ork. Ellis : Red ]\Lan and White. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Parkman : Conspiracy of Pontiac. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. Eggleston : Montezuma. Dodd, INIeade & Co., New Y'ork. AnnoTT : Cortez. Dodd, Meade & Co., Now York. FiSKE : Discovery of America. Houghton, IMitHin & Co., New York. Schoolcraft : Thirty Years with Indian Tribes. Lippincott, Philadelphia. FisKE : American Revolution. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., New York.

Chapter I. History Study And Teaching

Definition of History — Reasons for studying it — Methods — Teacher

— Mastery — Enthusiasm — Knowledge — When and where to begin

— The Grades — Text-books — Division — Colonization — Causes op the Revolution — Story of — Critical Period — National Period — Civil War — Southern Government — Story of Civil War — Since the War.

" "TF the present be the fruit of the past, " there is no study more JL valuable than history. However, it is a difficult matter to determine the comparative value of studies, for one person will make them more or less valuable to himself or to others according to his ability to study or present them. In studying or teaching a subject one ought to ask himself first, why and second, lioio it should be studied or taught. This shall be the plan of this chapter. First, why should history be studied at all? Second, how should it be studied?

Cicero says, "History is the witness of times, the light of truth, the mistress of life." Diodorus calls it "the handmaid of Providence, a priestess of truth, and a mother of life." Dionysius says, "History is philosophy teaching by example." Guizot defines it thus: "History is a great school of truth, reason, and virtue." These definitions are not good as definitions, and are not intended to be taken as such. They are given that the student may feel he is entering upon a field embracing life itself in all its thought, feeling, and will ; that history does " present all times, all truths, all life " ; that it is " Providence working and philosophy teaching " ; and is truly a "great school of truth, reason, and virtue." Why man works and at what he works, why he worships and what he

"worships, why he studies and what he studies, the causes and effects of his oratory, wars, law-making, moral progress, and political development, all are history. Leave any one of these out and we do not study history. Facts, dates, etc., are the least part of the whole, and yet they, too, are necessary.

If I were defining history for advanced pupils, — and I would not define it for lower grades at all, — I would say, " History is a record of the past." It is a simple definition certainly, and may be old-fashioned, but it includes all thought, all feeling, all willing, as they are recorded in the progress of the ages.

There are six reasons for studying history. First, it should be known for its guiding value. There is much truth in the old saying, "History repeats itself." There are certain inevitable truths controlling the ages. The things which destroyed Greece would destroy America; the force which united the world under Eome would unite the world again; the evils which caused Rome to fall would cause any empire in any age to fall. The statesman reads the future like an open book, the moralist foretells the doom of nations, the prophet depicts the fate of his race, because they "read the future by the past." It is in history we are warned against the errors of the world, and are taught what the future will be.

Second, history, when taught even in the driest, poorest way, by simply repeating facts and dates, is an excellent training for the memory; and if presented in all its truth and life, it yields to none in the developing of that faculty. Memory should receive from the study of history its most valuable help.

Third, history, when led beyond dry details, becomes a vivid picture and develops the imagination. One should see the great forces at work and take a stand on all the mental, moral, and physical battle-fields, to watch their results. The study of history should be made a man-picturing and world-building process.

Fourth, history trains the judgment. The Revolution is a single fact, but how complex are its origin, effects, etc. ! All simple facts are probably complex and require an analysis to fully understand them. We must compare, contrast, judge, analyze, and make decisions, if we would fully understand history. To all questions there are two sides. There are so many forces at work that one cannot easily say that this is so or that is so. Our ideas depend so much on our training, environment, and interest, that it is difficult to form a correct judgment. Uncertainty is so great a factor in history, and the element of probability is so important, that it is certainly true that in history we secure the needed discipline for the judgment.

Fifth, as a means of broad and liberal culture history has but one superior, and that is literature. Culture comes from a knowledge of men and of the world. History gives that knowledge.

Last, but not least, perhaps foremost as a practical reason for history study, is the development of patriotism and love of country. When we think that a large per cent, of our children do not study history at all, and that many thousands of foreigners settle among us each year with no ideas of our institutions, we feel the need for something that will give the young pupil some idea of his country, and will make the foreigner acquainted with the nature of the land which he has adopted. We are most patriotic when we know what our country has cost in blood and money. I would have every boj^'s and girl's blood mount to the cheek, heart throb more quickly, eyes flash with patriotic fire and love, when they hear, proud America's song. I would have every foreigner's loyalty exercised on his American home; there is no quicker, easier way to do this than to teach the children the magnificent history of their native or adopted country.

History should do and does do, when rightly studied, all the above and much more. Much depends upon the method of study, however, and in discussing that part of our work it is best to take up first the chief force — the teacher. If in any branch of study the teacher needs to be the living voice, the real life of the class, it is in history. Method is good, and a study of methods is valuable and needful to the highest success of the teacher, but it is secondary to one factor in teaching. There are teachers who can never be successful, however much they study methods ; and no one can be successful who makes methods the chief factor.

Above all method, and above all other qualifications of the teacher, is that of mastery of the subject. It is absolutely impossible to teach history successfully if the teacher does not know the study. He should throw books to the wind and stand before his class prepared to handle the lesson without any reference to books and any hesitancy in decisions. Mastery of the subject, as far as the class in hand need it, is the first requisite. If one is not willing to acquire that, there is nothing in this or any other work that will help him. But that done, one may be successful without any very systematic study of methods. If one would be a great teacher of history, let him first knoAV history. Holding that to be the first and great requirement, I cannot do better than to quote a few other helpful qualifications : " Retentive memory; logical power to analyze and group facts; enthusiasm for the subject; sound judgment; clear insight into character and life; devotion to truth; persistence; vivid imagination; and a copious supply of clear and simple language." ^

The teacher needs enthusiasm in his work. In history we can well say, as is the teacher so is the pupil. In arithmetic and a few other studies some degree of interest might manifest itself in spite of tlie teacher, but that will seldom be true in history; the fire must be lighted from the teacher's own heat. Enthusiasm means to put the soul into the work.

The teacher should live in close contact with current events ai... be a student of them. In this country he has an excellent opportunity to do so. The daily paper carries to his door the news of government, religion, education, and politics, so that he may learn history as it is made, and may teach it so. He shoul 1 familiarize himself with local history, old landmarks, battle-fields, noted buildings, and important men. By drawing current events, local history, and government into the study, history becomes a reality. Every pupil should be taught to give a little time each day to public affairs. Mere book knowledge is insufficient. AVe must experience history to know it and to teach it well.

A knowledge of general literature is helpful to the teacher. He should study poems, novels, speeches, biographies, etc. It will help, to study a poem in connection with the history lesson. "Barbara Frietchie," "Evangeline," "Hiawatha," "Miles Standish," "Green Mountain Boys," Cooper's works, Henry's, Webster's, and Clay's speeches, "The Scarlet Letter," "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and many other valuable works should be in common use.

Tlie ideal of the teacher should be high, even though he should never reach it; the fact that he has an ideal will make him a better teacher. No labor should be thought too difficult, and no reasonable expense too much to require of one's self, to be able to do Avork right. The consciousness of doing work well is worth the trouble and expense of so doing it. A forty-dollar teacher who will not try to do work worth one hundred dollars will likely never secure that amount.

1 HiDsdale.

Before taking up the subject of methods and devices, it should be understood that no cast-iron, scratch-book methods are believed in. After ten years' experience, the writer should have gathered a few facts on the subject and some general truths that may help some one; but no two teachers can use successfully one method, nor can the same teacher use one method successfully for two different pupils or classes. The author frankly says to the teacher, that if he is reading this chapter that he may use the suggestions just as given, he will and ought to fail. Study it carefully, take from it what seems good for the purpose, apply it as the needs seem to demand, and if help is received by any one, the intention of the author is fulfilled.

The first question that presents itself in teaching a subject is, j^'^hen should we begin, and where? We should begin teaching United States History the first year of school, and the place to begin should depend on the thing that interests the child most. The work of this grade, of course, must all be story-telling. The teacher should tell those stories that afford the most pleasu.re to the child. Sometimes it will be best to read the story as told by some one else. The teacher must be the judge of all these things. During the first two years this kind of work only can be done. Time, place, and geography have no part in the work so far. Dates should not be mentioned, and the stories should be of the nature of the heroic, giving examples of kindness, self-control, courage, patriotism, justice, etc. The chief aim should be to interest the child. Myths and legends are good for this purpose. Pictures also are helpful. The teacher should have one or all of the following books : Monroe's "Story of Our Country," price 66 cents, published by Lee and Shepard, Boston; Pratt's "American History Stories," 4 vols., each 36 cents, published by Educational Publishing Company, Boston; Eggleston's "Pirst Book of United States History," 60 cents, published by American Book Company, Cincinnati; Wright's "Children's Stories in American History," price $1.25, published by Scribner's Sons, New York; and "Children's Stories of American Progress," same author, publisher, and price. Porthe first two years these books would answer all purposes. The teacher can easily find time for the work. Two lessons a week, fifteen minutes to one-half hour in length, would be sufficient. By having the child report, in its own way, Avhat it remembers of the story, the exercise would make a good language lesson.

The third year's work should differ from the first and second more in degree than in kind. If the teacher feels it right to do so, the work should be advanced slightly, but still it must be made up of the story and biography. The child is now, perhaps, nine years old, and is able to grasp some system in the work. I would not take up more time than in the previous grades, and would use the lesson in much the same Avay. The pupil now can make more individual use of the story, and be more independent of the teacher; but the teacher should not forget the value of a well-told story or one well read. Let the pupil work in that period which he likes best, and hear those stories that most interest him, without regard to the order of taking them up. Some such method or system of placing the history into periods as the following would be good: first period. Exploration ; second, Colonization ; third, Wars ; fourth, National Period. Blaisdell's "Stories of the Civil War," sold by Lee and Shepard, Boston, price 35 cents; Johonnot's "Stories of Our Country " and " Stories of Heroic Deeds," 30 cents and 40 cents each, American Book Company, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Moore's "Pilgrims and Puritans," Ginn & Co., Chicago, 60 cents, would be good books for this grade.

In the fourth year geography and history should be connected. All points of interest should be located on the map, and local geography and history should be studied. It would certainly be best to continue grouping history into periods. Sub-grouping the periods would prove useful also. A few of the most important dates should be learned, such as 1492, 1607, 1776, 1789, 1861, etc. Manners and customs can be introduced to advantage. The pupil will become intensely interested in studying the dress, furniture, amusements, and mode of living generally among the colonists. Eggleston's History is an excellent book for this part of the work, as are also Higginson's and Scudder's. McMaster's work is the best authority on this line of history, but it is too voluminous and costly for the average teacher. The books mentioned for the third year are suited to the work in this grade also. Dodge's "Stories of American History," Lee and Shepard, Boston, price 35 cents, would be a good book to introduce at this time. The language lessons may be made more valuable from the fourth grade on than before that time. Let the pupil Avrite or repeat the stories he reads or hears read. Criticise the work carefully.

It is not necessary to deal minutely with the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades, since T could but repeat much that has been given for the fourth grade. Each year should add a little more system and a few more dates. Oilman's Historical Readers, 3 vols., 36 cents, 48 cents, and 60 cents, respectively, publislied by the Interstate Publishing Company, Boston, and Lee aud Shepard's Young Folk's Series added to the books already named, will be useful and inexpensive. Much of the work in these grades could be given as supplementary reading and language work two or three times a week. Poems, speeches, and articles written for special events should receive attention. Many important dates, events, and quotations should be learned. The teacher, always on the alert, will be able to introduce many things useful and interesting.

Up to this time the pupil has used no text-book, and has not really studied history in the sense he should now take it up. But what a wonderful amount of information has been gathered ! The pupil is now from twelve to fifteen years old, and is ready to begin a careful, systematic text-book work on history. He has reached the age when he should be able to enter into causes and effects, and the logical relations of things. If he has done the work as indicated above, he is in excellent condition for the work to follow. He already has facts and ideas ; and more, he loves and appreciates his country.

Many teachers will have pupils who have never studied history, or who do not like it. The teacher then has a delicate task before him. His duty is to make a future citizen of our country love its history. The writer has succeeded in doing this a few times under very adverse circumstances. It was done by seeming not to do it, — by arousing the interest of the pupil in such way that he did not know the end aimed at, and seemed to be following only his own inclinations. Let the teacher have on his desk such books as Barnes' History, Eggleston's, Higginson's, or Coffin's. Let him incidentally place one of these in the hands of the pupil, over which the latter may pass a few minutes in looking at the pictures or reading some parts of the book. Gradually his interest will awaken, and by judicious handling he will often volunteer to take up the work.

During the text-book period, the topic or outline system should be used. Let the outline follow some certain text in most part; but no one text-book should be made to answer for all the work. Investigation should be made necessary, and the pupil should be taught to find his information from every source. He should handle books and should learn their contents. It is by this plan that he will secure that ability to find his information quickly from any book by use of the index or contents. This is in itself an education. No student should be satisfied until he learns to get from a book, quickly, all that he wants. The outline system is a great help to that end. On general principles every teacher should make liis own topic list for the lesson. He knoAvs the needs of his class and can thus fit his outline to their ability and advantages.

A good text-book is a very necessary aid to the best work in history. The lower grades are well furnished with good books, but the higher grades certainly lack a suitable book, unless this, as the author hopes, shall prove to be one. However, if the teacher thinks some other should be used, he has a good list from which to choose. Johnston's United States History is, as far as the writer knows, the best text-book of its kind up to date. Montgomery's is good. " The Voice of the People," Johnston's "American Politics," and the "Dictionary of American Politics " are a few of the books to which the teacher and pupil should have access.

A good division of United States History, for its study, is the following: Discovery and Exploration, 1492-1 GOT; Colonization, 1607-1776; Continental Government, 1776-1789; and National Period, 1789- . Taking these up in the order given, each should be treated as fully as its importance requires. Comparatively little time is necessary for the Period of Explorations. Much of the work of this period is a mere matter of memory. It is a good exercise to have the pupil write in a given time — one minute or two minutes — all the dates from 1492 to 1607, which ho remembers, and of which he can tell. something. As a review have him name the English, French, Spanish, and Dutch explorers, and give the dates of their discoveries and explorations. The teacher should also have a spelling exercise on the names of persons and places. iJy all means he should use the geography, and should give si)eeial study to the life of Columbus and to the Indians. In a few days' drill, the class will have fixed these names, places, and dates in their memory, and can leave them for tlie next period. Do not forget the value of reviews; every day a few minutes should be used in fixing more certainly some fact.

Now the class is ready for the second period. Colonization, from 1607 to 1776. This is a most important part of the history work. It is best to study the colonies separately, and in the order of their settlement, beginning with Virginia and ending with Georgia. Time, purpose, place, education, religion, and government are the important points to learn. Many other things enter into the Avork, but these are the leading facts to bring out. By studying these facts and discussing them, other things of importance will be noted. The boundary of each colony should be understood, as should the claims of each of the nations. After going over each colony carefully and learning the particular nature of each, all should be compared and contrasted, bringing out the like and unlike parts. The Northern Colonies should be compared with the Middle Colonies and Avith the Southern Colonies; also the Middle Colonies with the Southern Colonies. The laws of each colony, and the exact government of each just before the Eevolution, should be understood. Slavery, intemperance, the money system, banking, and trade are all important. Now is the proper time to give attention to the influence of the geography and climate, and to the causes for English success, and French, Spanish, and Dutch failures. Several religious sects also should have our attention, — the Jesuits, Huguenots, and Pilgrims especially. The Churchmen of Holland, the Quakers, Catholics, Churchmen of England, Presbyterians, Methodists, etc., are important to understand. The Germans, Irish, and Scotch form an element in the progress of the colonies. By this study, the pupil Avill secure a living and personal idea of colonial life. He will have placed himself in close sympathy with it and have studied it from the standpoint of the colonists themselves. The teacher will feel amply repaid for any extra work it may have cost.

In this period we have several wars that affect us more or less, but none of them needs much attention except the Prench and Indian War. This war is important from the fact that it was the final struggle between the tAvo leading European nations for supremacy in the 'New World. No more critical period lies anywhere in the four centuries of our history than in this struggle for the NeAV World between the French and English. Parkman's " Fifty Years of Conquest " and his " Montcalm and Wolfe " are excellent books on this important period. They are sold by Little, BroAvn & Co., of Boston.