Elementary history of the United States

Preface

This little volume is written in response to an urgent demand from many school superintendents for a narrative history to be used in the fifth and sixth grades of the Elementary School. In preparing it, the aim has been to select subject-matter that will most fittingly illustrate the spirit, purpose, and life of the American people, and at the same time will come within the range of the child's understanding and appeal to his interest.

Such an aim involves not only the selection of typical events, but also the use of simple material. The concrete and the personal, therefore, everywhere receive emphasis. There has been a persistent effort to make leaders and patriots the centre of great movements and important situations. By getting a glimpse of these men as they appeared to their friends and acquaintances, and also some notion, even though slight, of their personal qualities, the pupil through his sympathetic imagination comes into vital touch with the life of the past. In fact, in a very real sense he shares in that life, and thus not only enlarges his experience but shapes his thought and fashions his ideals after the manner of the great and the good of bygone days.

To strengthen the vital quality of the narrative special attention has been given to the daily life of the people, not forgetting the part played by the boys and the girls vi PREFACE

of the time. Moreover, it is hoped that the simphcity of the language and the excellent maps and illustrations will aid the pupils in getting living pictures and will thus prove valuable features of the book.

But something more than vivid pictures of past reality should result from the study of history, even by young people in the grades for which this narrative is written. Some exact knowledge of historical facts should be gained. With this object in view ''Things to Remember" may be used to advantage after the reading and study of every chapter. They give in a nutshell some of the most significant facts mentioned in the text. These slight summaries, if rightly used, will fix definitely many of the typical and important events outlined in the narrative. A few significant ''things" learned in this way will serve to give a quality to the pupil's knowledge which cannot result from a careless reading of ill-sorted facts, however interesting and colorful.

The notes "To the Pupil " may be used to great advantage not only in testing his knowledge of the text, but also in stimulating his interest in men and events. The questions are not intended to cover all the facts in the text. They rather call attention to the more important ones and suggest other questions. They may be used in connection with the side topics to give variety to the recitation.

Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon forming the important habit of locating every event on the map. Not only in preparing the lesson but also in reciting it maps should be brought constantly into use. Believing this, the author has taken special pains to see that the

PREFACE vii

maps of this book contain no useless matter. The aim has been to put into them that which will help the pupil to understand the meaning of the text.

Equally important is discrimination in teaching the chronology of events. Many dates are placed in the text to give the pupil the proper sequence. But only a few, like 1492, 1607, 1620, July 4, 1776, and 1861-1865— dates which indicate great landmarks — need be learned with absolute accuracy.

In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my obligation to Mr. Alfred M. Hitchcock, of the Hartford High School, who has read the manuscript and made many valuable suggestions; and also to my wife, without whose interest and assistance this little volume would not have been written.

Wilbur F. Gordy.

Springfield, Mass., October 1, 1909.

Contents

CHAPTER PAGB

I. The Discovery of Ajmerica 1

II. The Spaniards in the New World 11

Chapter I The Discovery Of America

It seems pretty certain that America was first reached by Europeans in the tenth or the eleventh century. At that time, according to the story told by Icelanders, hardy sailors from Norway came to Iceland and Greenland.

It is supposed that some of these daring explorers reached America. Among them, we are told, was Leif L®!*

° ' . ' Ericsson

Ericsson, who, in the year one thousand, with five hundred and Viniand and thirty men, touched upon the coast of Labrador. Sailing south, he landed probably somewhere on the New England coast, and spent the winter. Because of the many grape-vines which grew there, he called the country Viniand. In the spring he went back to Greenland with a load of timber.

The following year Leif's brother sailed to Viniand, i° viniand where he passed two winters. In later years other Northmen visited the coast. But none remained long, for the natives were unfriendly and attacked them. Viniand was therefore soon forgotten.

It was nearly five hundred years before the people of Europe again made voyages to that part of the world. They did so then under the pressure of a great need. For many hundred years Europe had carried on a large trade S^e FarEast with India and China. Merchants of Genoa, Venice, and

The Turks capture Constantinople

Da Gama finds the water route other ports in the Mediterranean Sea grew rich by this trade. They received from the Far East such luxuries as silks, gums, spices, ivory, and precious stones. All these things were brought by overland routes across Asia to the Mediterranean Sea, and thence by sailing vessels to the Western ports.

But when, in 1453, the Turks captured Constantinople, these overland routes were closed to trade, and the Mediterranean was made unsafe by Turkish pirates. From that time onward Europe began to search for an ocean route to India, China, and Japan.

It was natural that Portugal and Spain, which were then two of the most powerful countries in the world, should take the lead in finding this water route. For seventy years Portuguese sea captains slowly but surely made their way down the west coast of Africa. At last, in 1497, Vasco da Gama rounded the Cape of Good Hope, sailed on eastward to India and the Spice Islands, and having collected a rich cargo of silks, jewels, and spices, returned with it to Portugal. Thus the first water route to the Far East was found.

But some years before Da Gama's voyage another great seaman had tried to find a water route to -India by sailing west. This was Christopher Columbus. He failed, of course, to reach India, but in the path of his voyage he discovered the New World.

Columbus was born in Genoa in 1436.

From boyhood days he had taken great

HOUSE WHERE COLUM- BUS WAS BORN

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA interest in geography, and when he grew up he became very skilful in making maps and charts. He was also fond of the sea. When about thirty-five years of age, he went c^^*^°u^®^ to live at Lisbon, Portugal. At this time he was a fine- and his ideas looking man. His tall form and noble face, his clear gray eyes, and his white hair faUing to his shoulders gave him a commanding presence, while his courteous manner made him pleasing to all he met.

While in Lisbon he of course heard much about the Portuguese plan of reaching India and China by sailing around Africa. But he asked himself why these countries could not be reached by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean, for he believed, with many others of the time, that the world was round like a globe and that China was not more than three thousand miles west from Europe. If he could find such a short and easy trade route to the Far East, he would bring wealth to Europe and secure honor and fame for himself.

He was so taken up with his great scheme that he dreamed of it day and night. His dreams seemed all the more real because of the reports of Marco Polo and other travellers about the wealth and splendor of the East. }^,°'"^^'tl!^

tRl6S 01 iQC

These men had told wonderful tales of palaces roofed East with gold, of golden rivers, of fountains of youth, and of precious stones the like of which Europe had never seen. Fired by these accounts, Columbus determined to seek a

THE SANTA MARIA

Years of trial

The Sea of Darkness new route. He was not the first man to believe that the world was round, but he was the first man to be willing to test his belief by venturing out upon an unknown sea. As he was poor, he had to get money before he oould carry out his plan. First he consulted the King of Portugal, who refused to aid him. Then he left Portugal and went to Spain to secure the support of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. As they were then engaged in war with the Moors, and were moving their camp from place to place, it was seven years before Columbus could get a hearing. These were years of trial to Columbus. Men laughed at him, and even boys in the street pointed the finger of scorn. Yet he did not give up hope, and at last the king and queen listened to him and agreed to give him help.

But his difficulties were not over. . Sailors at that time called the Atlantic Ocean the Sea of Darkness. They believed it was full of dreadful monsters ready to seize both men and vessels. Besides, the ships of those days were small and lightly built. They were not strong enough to battle against heavy seas. So the king had to compel sailors to go with Columbus, and in some cases criminals were taken oijt of prison to make up his crews. Of the three caravels made ready, the Santa Maria, the Nina, and the Pinta, none was much larger than an ordinary fishing boat of to-day, and only one, the Santa Maria, which served as flag-ship, had a deck covering the entire hold of the vessel.

COLUMBUS

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

With these three vessels and one hundred and twenty men Columbus set sail a half hour before sunrise on August 3, 1492. We may imagine with what joy he found himself at sea. Not so the sailors. They were overcome with The sailors

'' overcome

fear, and when they could no longer see land they wept with fear like children. As week after week passed by, this fear gave way to despair. From time to time, it is true, their hearts were gladdened by the sight of birds, for this made them think that land was near. Sometimes a shout of ''Land!" was heard. Then there was great excitement. But when that which their eyes had scanned melted away, they knew they had been looking at distant clouds.

When the ships reached the belt of trade winds Columbus in

^ danger

and the sailors were blown steadily farther away from home and the friends whom they expected never to see again, they were angry and despairing. They said Columbus was a *' crazy-brained dreamer, " and they plotted to throw him overboard. Columbus knew his hfe was in danger, but his courage

did not fail. He still had faith that he would succeed. Finally, on October 11, a thorn branch with berries on it, a reed, and a carved stick came floating by. Then Signs of

° "^ land

every heart was cheered, for these were sure signs of land. The sailors became alert. All were eager to catch a first

THE LANDING OF COLUMBUS

The landing of Coliunbus glimpse of land. About ten o'clock that night Columbus himself saw in the distance a moving light, and three or four hours later a sailor saw the shore, then four or five miles away.

At early dawn next morning all the men went ashore. Columbus bore the royal standard. Weeping tears of

I ATLANTIC

^iff TRINIDAD I.

O C B Ji^ IT

U T II ^ ERICA ^W^w^

THE FIRST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS, AND PLACES OF INTEREST IN CONNECTION WITH HIS LATER VOYAGES

joy, he knelt and took possession of the land in the name of the King and Queen of Spain. The sailors fell upon their knees before him, kissed his hands, and begged him to forgive them for their unkind thoughts during the voyage.

Columbus had landed upon one of the Bahama Islands. He thought that he had reached the East Indies and therefore he called the natives Indians. Continuing his voyage, he sailed along the coast of Cuba and Hayti. Landing here and there, he looked for the wonderful cities of Eastern Asia, but of course he looked in vain.

Early in January the return voyage was made. When he arrived in Spain, he was called into the presence of the king and queen. They honored him by rising when he entered the room and by allowing him to sit in their

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 7

presence. The poor sailor, the idle dreamer, was now looked upon as a great man.

Men of noble birth were ready to join him on a second voyage, which he took a few months later. He sailed in September, 1493, this time with seventeen vessels and fifteen hundred men. But these followers were bitterly ^^^^^

voyages

disappointed because they did not find the silks, spices, jewels, and other precious things which they sought. Through failure and jealousy they soon became enemies of Columbus, who now fell upon evil days. Yet he made two more voyages. In one he sailed along the northern coast of South America, and in the other along the eastern coast of Central America.

Nowhere, however, did he find that which he sought. Columbus

. . i,T p.,., in trouble

All Spam was disappomted. Many lost faith m the great navigator. Some, jealous of his fame, laid plots to ruin him. Then his friend and protector. Queen Isabella, died and left him without support. In his loneliness and discouragement he fell sick and died of a broken heart, little dreaming that he had discovered a new world.

A short time before Columbus discovered the American continent, Americus Vespucius, a Florentine then living in Spain, may have made a voyage to the New World. Americus In 1497, some have said, he was pilot on an expedition which reached the coast of South America. It is certain that during the next ten years he sailed many times. During these voyages, which were made in the employment of Spain or of Portugal, he sailed along the coast of Brazil and other parts of South America.

Vespucius teUs us that some of the Indians were unfriendly and shot arrows at the voyagers. Then at the

8 ELEMENTARY HISTORY OF '^HE UNITED STATES

The naming of the New World sound of the white men's guns they ran for Ufe. Some, he says, were cannibals. One great chief boasted that he The Indians jj^d eaten the bodies of three hundred human beings. But notwithstanding their unfriendly reception by the natives, the explorers were charmed with the birds of brilliant plumage, the gay-colored flowers, and the magnificent trees. They were even ready to believe, as they were told, that the natives lived in this strange land to the age of one hundred and fifty years.

The good accounts that Vespucius wrote of what he saw attracted the attention of German geographers. For this reason and because one of them believed he was the first man to discover it, the New World was called America in his honor.

As we have seen, Columbus believed that the earth was round like a globe, but none of his voyages proved it. The honor of furnishing that proof belongs to Ferdinand Magellan. He was a Portuguese who went with Da Gama on his voyage to India and the Spice Islands. Like Columbus, he believed it possible to reach the land of silks and ivory by sailing west. His plan was to find a passage or strait in America through which he might sail, for it was now the common behef that America extended to the south pole. When he asked aid of his king and was refused, he entered the service of the Spanish king, and started on his famous voyage of discovery.

With a fleet of five old vessels, manned by two hundred and eighty men, on September 20, 1519, he put to sea. Little did he know what troubles awaited him. Four days after the fleet left port a small vessel overtook the flag-ship with this message from the father of Magellan's

Magellan's plan

Magellan sails

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

MAGELLAN S FLEET wife: '*Be watchful. Some of your captains have said that if you give them trouble they will kill you." To make matters worse, a month of severe storms and scarcity of food and water bred a spirit of mutiny among the sullen ^0: sailors.

It was nearly four months before the fleet reached the mouth of the

La Plata River, and there Magellan spent three weeks in finding out that it was not a strait. During another two months he sailed along the coast of Patagonia in the midst of ceaseless and furious storms. But on the last day of March, six months after leaving the home port, he found a well-sheltered harbor, where he anchored.

It is not strange that the sailors were disheartened. There was but httle bread and wine left, and no hope of getting more. They begged Magellan to return. He stubbornly refused. Then open mutiny broke out. But he sternly put it down. A little later one of the vessels was wrecked; yet even in the face of this discouragement, amid violent storms he pushed on.

At length his fleet entered a passage of water which we The brave now call the Strait of Magellan. From this place one of the ships stole away for Spain. Again the sailors on the three remaining vessels pleaded to go home. Magellan's answer was, ''I will go on if I have to eat the leather off the ship's yards."

Still heading westward, they began the long, weary

Magellan's trials

Famine and scurvy

Magellan slain

A great voyage

A long search for a northwest passage voyage across the Pacific. The sailors suffered from famine and scurvy. Many died. The survivors kept alive only by eating the skins and leather bound about the great ropes of the ships. Thus were the words of Magellan made true.

At last they came to the Philippine Islands. Upon landing they had a desperate fight with the natives and had to retreat to their boats. Their loss was heavy. Fearless, Magellan was, as always, the last in retreat. The natives pressed closely about him, bore him to the earth, and slew him.

What were left of his men lifted anchor and steered their course homeward. It was still a long voyage. Not until September 6, 1522, nearly three years after leaving Spain, did they arrive at the home port. Only one vessel returned, manned by eighteen starving sailors, who looked like staggering skeletons.

This was the greatest voyage that had ever been made. It proved beyond doubt that the earth was round. Moreover, the question in men's minds whether the land discovered by Columbus was really the East Indies, as he supposed, was also answered. America, be3^ond any doubt, was a new continent.

Other great sea captains now began to search for a passage through America to the South Sea, as they called the Pacific Ocean. Foj although Magellan had found a passage, it was so far south that the voyage through it to Asia was too long to be of advantage to trade. A route farther north was desired. If the New World was not very wide, a passage through it would make a short route to India, China, and Japan. For the next two hundred

THE SPANIARDS IN THE NEW WORLD II

years, therefore, navigators and explorers sought a northwest passage through North America as the shortest water route to the trade of eastern Asia.

1. Bold sailors from Norway were the first Europeans to reach America (1000). 2. Christopher Columbus, in trying to find a water route to India by sailing westward, discovered America in 1492. 3. The New World was called America in honor of Americus Vespucius. 4. Magellan by his voyage proved that America was a continent and that the earth was round like a globe.

1. Tell in your own words what Leif Ericsson did.

2. Why did Spain and Portugal wish to find a water route to India, China, and Japan ?

3. Why did Coliunbus think he could reach these countries by sailing across the Atlantic ?

4. Imagine yourself with Coliunbus and tell what happened on his first voyage.

5. What was the great work of Columbus ? What do you admire about him ?

6. What did Magellan do ? What do you admire in him ?

7. It is a good plan for you to make constant use of your map.

Chapter II The Spaniards In The New World

When Columbus made his second voyage to the New World, the Spaniards who went with him were eager for the gold and precious stones which they expected to find. Some, also, were eager for adventure. Among these was Ponce

° . ° de Leon

Ponce de Leon, who had been made governor of Porto Rico.

The

Fountain of Youth

De Leon discovers Florida

Narvaez in search of gold

Eumor came to this aged soldier, whose health was somewhat broken, of a Fountain of Youth not far to the north. He was told that its waters would heal all his diseases and make him young again. Longing to drink at this magic source, he obtained permission from the king to explore and conquer the island where the fountain flowed.

Sailing west from Porto Rico, in due time he reached land. This he named Florida from Pascua Florida, the Spanish name for Easter Sunday, the day on which he landed (1513). Of course the search was fruitless and he had to return home. But although he found no Fountain of Youth, he discovered the country and gave it a name. Several years later, while making a second attempt to find the fountain, De Leon was killed by the Indians.

Still another Spaniard who sought for gold in the New World was Narvaez. With four hundred men he anchored in Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida (1528).

Marching inland with a company of three hundred men, he found, instead of gold, only a pathless wilderness and unfriendly Indians.

The explorers suffered so for lack of food that they had to kill and eat their own horses. Disappointed, they returned to the coast only to find their vessels gone.

Il

SPANISH SOLDIEBS

THE SPANIARDS IN THE NEW WORLD

At last, having built more vessels, with a scant supply of food and water they set sail westward. But on reach- P^

. . . Spaniards

ing the mouth of the Mississippi River they were ship- shipwrecked' wrecked. Two of their boats were destroyed and two '•

others cast ashore. Only four of the company escaped alive. These men travelled more than two thousand miles and at the end of eight years reached the Gulf of Cahfornia, where by good fortune they found themselves among friends, at a Spanish outpost.

Another Spanish explorer who was eager to gain wealth, glory, and power was Hernando de Soto. At his request the king granted him permission to conquer and settle Florida. He had already been to the New World, and it was there- ^^ Soto's

. . purpose

fore easy for him to get followers. Six hundred men, some of them from noble famihes, eagerly joined his expedition.

In 1539 the whole company, with two hundred and twenty-five horses, landed at Tampa Bay. Then their Jhe troubles began. The journey inland was full of terror, in trouble The Indians were unfriendly. But when the Spaniards begged their leader to return, De Soto's grim answer was, "I will not turn back until with my own eyes I have seen the poverty of this country."

DE SOTO S DISCOVERT OF THE MISSISSIPPI

De Soto cruel to the Indians

The

Mississippi

Death and burial of De Soto

He was cruel to the Indians, He cared nothing for their sufferings. Some he put to death and others he enslaved. They hated him bitterly and took their revenge. They promised to conduct him to a place where gold was plentiful. Eagerly the white men followed..

They wandered many miles through pathless wilderness and suffered much from lack of food.

Sometimes they had only berries, nuts, bear-oil, and wild honey. In the end they found a wild solitude. The Indians

EOUTES TRAVERSED BY DE SOTO AND DE LEON hid deCPlved fhpm

Their condition was pitiful. The men longed to return to home and friends, but De Soto was unyielding. "No," he said; ''we must go forward."

At last they reached the banks of the Mississippi at a point where the river was more than a mile wide. After spending nearly a month in building boats, they crossed in safety. Then De Soto marched westerly. They found many Indian tribes, but still no gold. Finally hope died, and De Soto decided to go to the coast to build ships with which to send for aid.

During the three years of struggle and suffering in the forest, he had lost two hundred and fifty men. Tired and spirit-worn, he soon fell sick himself, and a severe fever carried him off. His followers buried his body near the Indian village where they happened to be, but fearing to have the Indians know that their leader was dead, they

THE SPANIARDS IN THE NEW WORLD took it up 'again. Then wrapping it in blankets made

heavy with sand, during the dark hours of night they

lowered it into the black

waters of the Mississippi.

Thus' died De Soto, the

discoverer of the greatest

river of the continent.

The Spaniards were so busy in their search for gold that they allowed the French to make the first settlement in Florida. At this time all France was astir with the civil war between the Huguenots (French Protestants) and the Cathohcs. As the Catholics were getting the better of the Huguenots, Coligny, the great Huguenot leader, sought a refuge for his people in America.

Accordingly, in 1562, he sent out a small colony to a place where Port Royal, South Carolina, now stands. But the settlers, not being the kind of men to meet the T^t^^^^^^

' ° in Florida

demands of a rough backwoods life, soon tired and sailed back to France. Two years later Coligny sent out another colony, which went to St. John's River, many miles south of the first colony. These men also were unfit for their task and were soon in need of food. They were saved from starving only by the coming of new colonists with fresh supplies.

But this glimmer of light soon went out completely. The Spanish king was so angrj^ with the French for mak-

A SPANISH GALLEON OR TREASURE SHIP OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

The Spaniards in Florida ing homes on what he called Spanish soil that he sent a body of soldiers to destroy them. First the Spaniards built a fort. This was the beginning of St. Augustine, which is now the oldest town in the eastern part of the United States. Then they attacked the French settlement and brutally put to death at least seven hundred men, women, and children. A few only, perhaps a half dozen, escaped, and after passing through many dangers, at last got back to France.

I Hearing of this massacre, a French ',: leader fitted out, at his own expense^

§^IL'''J{ ^^ expedition for the purpose of punishing the Spaniards in Florida

OLD SPANISH GATE AT ST. AUGUSTINE for their cruelty. He captured two forts and put to death nearly all the Spanish soldiers. As his force was not strong enough to attack St. Augustine, he returned to France in the following year, leaving the Spaniards in control.

1. De Leon in searching for the Fountain of Youth discovered Florida (1513). 2. De Soto, who spent three years in looking for gold, discovered the Mississippi River (1542). 3. The Spaniards buiU a fort in Florida, whic^h was the beginning of St. Augustine (1565).

1. What was De Leon looking for, and what did he find 7

2. Explain how De Soto and his followers suffered.

3. What was the best thing De Soto did ? What do you think of him ?

4. Remember that Columbus discovered America in 1492, and that De Soto discovered the Mississippi about fifty years later.