The beginner's history of our country

Front matter

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Contents

CHAPTER PAGE

I. The Finding of America

1. Christopher Columbus 1

CHAPTER I The Finding of America Christopher Columbus

Our Country Long Ago — A long, long time ago, long before our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers were born, this country of ours looked quite different from the way it appears to us to-day. True, the same great rivers flowed down to the sea as now, the same hills and mountains lifted their heads above the valleys and plains ; but there were no railroads and telegraph lines in that long-ago time; there were no schools, no churches, no indian wigwams and canoe.

houses, no farms. Not a single white man lived in all this land. There were some queer-looking red-skinned people here, whose clothes were made of the hides of animals, and who lived in huts, or wigwams, and roamed from one part of the country to another, hunting deer in the forest, or buffalo on the prairies. Would you like to learn how the first white man found

INDIAN BUFFALO HUNTERS.

his way to this country ; how other white men came, after the first bold sailor had shown the way; how homes were made in the woods, fierce enemies were driven away, schools, churches, and towns built? Would you like to learn how our country grew from a few scattered farms and settlements along the seacoast to the greatest nation in the world? In the pages of this book this story will be told. To begin with, let us see how the first white men came to our country.

The Old Town of Genoa. — In the far-away land of Italy is an old town named Genoa, built on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The streets of this town are narrow and crooked, the houses are tall, with steep, pointed roofs, small windows, and balconies hanging over the sidewalks. The people speak a different language from ours, so you could not understand them if you should hear them talk. The part of the sea that touches Genoa is so shut in by the land that it makes a fine harbor, w r here ships are safe from storms. Here, every day, for hundreds of years, ships have been coming and going, loaded with freight for the merchants of Genoa. Among the Genoese boys of long ago who loved to spend their holidays at the water's edge were three brothers, Christopher, Diego, and Bartholomew Columbus. These boys took great delight in watching the busy sailors unloading their strange cargoes of silks, spices, and jewels, and in listening to their stories of the distant lands they had visited. Christopher, the oldest of the boys, often declared to his younger brothers that he would one day be a sailor, and the captain of the finest of the ships.

A Genoese Schoolboy — The father of Christopher Columbus was a wool-comber, that is, a man who earned his living by combing wool so as to smooth and straighten it for the cloth-makers. Noticing Christopher's fondness

THE HOME OF COLUMBUS.

for the sea, he sent the boy to school, where he could study those subjects that would be of use to him as a sailor. The schools of that day were quite different from our schools. The art of printing had been known only a

short time, and it is probable that Christopher Columbus had never seen a printed book. A few printed books might have been found in the libraries of the learned men of Genoa, but most books of that time were rolls of paper, on which the words were written with pen and ink. In the schools the pupils had no books, but learned w T hat the teacher told them, sometimes writing down or committing to memory what he said. Geography, astronomy, and navigation were the studies to which Christopher devoted most of his time, for as a sailor he would have to know each of these subjects.

Geographies of That Day — Most teachers of geography in those times taught that the earth was flat, though there were a few learned men who believed that it was round. While a schoolboy, Christopher probably heard both of these beliefs expressed, but which was correct no one knew. Europe, Asia, and the northern part of Africa were the only countries then known. No one could say how far Africa extended toward the south,

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

or Asia toward the east. North America, South America, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean had never been heard of, and so were not found on any maps. The Atlantic Ocean was called the "Sea of Darkness/' because so little was known about it. The maps of the world Columbus learned to make were like the one on this page.

The Schoolboy Becomes a Sailor. — When Christopher was fourteen years old his father took him from school. The boy did not like his father's trade of wool-combing, however, and to his great delight he was allowed to be-

MAP OF THE WORLD STUDIED BY COLUMBUS.

come a sailor. He soon learned all about sailing a ship, and was so apt, diligent, and skillful that in a few years he became captain of a vessel. On trading voyages, or fighting with the enemies of his country, Columbus visited the most important ports on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

He Makes His Home in Portugal. — If you will find the country of Portugal on the map, and observe that it borders on the Atlantic Ocean, and also is situated at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea, you will not be surprised that the people of Portugal have always been skillful sailors. When Columbus was a boy, the Portuguese had begun to explore the coast of Africa, trying to find how far south it extended. Prince Henry of Portugal encouraged these voyages of discovery, and established a college where everything relating to navigation was taught by the most learned teachers of Europe. Portuguese sailors soon became famous for their daring and successful voyages. Columbus was always glad when his duty took him to Portugal, where he could hear of the latest discoveries, and perhaps learn something new about the art of navigation. One day, when attending church in the city of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, he saw a young lady sitting near him who was so beautiful that, try as hard as he might, he could not listen to the service for looking at her or thinking about her. This young lady was the daughter of a famous Italian sailor who was employed by the king of Portugal. Columbus contrived to meet the lady, and persuaded her to be his wife. After his marriage he made his home in Portugal, and, when not away on the sea, earned his living by making maps and charts.

Were you ever far in the woods or on the wild prairie, out of sight of all signs of human beings? If so, tell how you came to be there, and what you saw.

What can you say of the appearance of all this country before the first white people came? Tell all you can about Genoa. Who was Christopher Columbus? His father? How did Christopher and his brothers spend their spare time ? Tell of Christopher's school. What different views about the earth's shape did Christopher hear? What parts of the world were then known? (What parts of the world are unknown to-day?) At what age did Columbus have to stop school? What did he then do? Why were the Portuguese skillful sailors? What had the Portuguese done to advance geographical knowledge? How did Columbus come to make his home in Portugal ?

DISCOVERIES OF COLUMBUS

A Great Voyage Planned — Not many years before this time, a venturesome Italian traveler had passed over the mountains, valleys, and plains of western Asia, and had visited India, China, and Japaa This traveler, Marco

THE KNOWN WORLD IN THE TIME OF COLUMBUS.

Polo by name, returned to Europe with wonderful reports of the wealth of these distant lands. Rich merchants at once sent out trading expeditions to get some of the silks, spices, and gums- of India. The trade in these things would have been highly profitable if it had not been that part of the journey to India had to be made by land. In those days land transportation was slow, expensive, and dangerous, because goods had to be carried on the backs of horses or camels through countries infested by robbers. Therefore wealth and fame awaited the sailor who should find an all-water route to India. Portuguese sailors were trying to reach the coveted land by sailing around the southern end of Africa. Columbus began studying the problem, and kept thinking about it while drawing his maps or making his voyages. "If the earth is round, as I believe it is," said he, "why cannot I reach Asia by going west?" He concluded that a voyage westward across the untried waters of the Atlantic Ocean would bring him to the eastern shores of Asia, and he decided to make the attempt as soon as he could get the necessary ships and men.

What People Thought of the Plan. — To the people of his time this bold plan of Columbus seemed almost as foolish and dangerous as a proposal to cross the ocean on a bicycle would seem to us to-day. Some said he was crazy and pitied him. Others made fun of him. They told him that if the earth were round, as he claimed, men on the other side would be walking with their heads downward, and that his ships would have to sail up-hill to return to Europe; that in mid-ocean the waves were boiling hot, and were the home of terrible sea monsters ready to swallow any ship daring enough to venture among them.

Disappointments — Years passed by. One hot summer day two travelers, foot-sore and dust-stained, stopped for food and rest at the gate of a convent a few miles from the town of Palos, Spain. One of the strangers was a man of tall figure and thoughtful face, the other a boy about eight years of age. The travelers were Christopher

Columbus and his son, Diego. They were welcomed to the convent, and in answer to the questions of the kind priest, Columbus told his story. His young wife had died soon after the birth of his son. Endeavoring to carry out his plan of sailing westward to India, and finding himself too poor to hire ships and men for the voyage, he had applied to the king of Portugal for help.

COLUMBUS AT THE COURT OF SPAIN.

The king listened to his plan, but declared his ideas foolish fancies. Columbus had then visited Spain, and asked King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to aid him in his plan. But the people of Spain were in the midst of a great war, and no one would listen to poor Columbus. Disappointed and almost heartbroken, he and his little son were leaving the country; hunger and weariness forced them to stop at the convent.

Help at Last — The prior, or director of the convent, was deeply interested in the story of Columbus and determined to do his best to help him. He introduced Columbus to the rich shipowners of Palos, and, best of all, secured for him a meeting with the queen. To Queen Isabella Columbus showed his maps and charts, and explained his plan of reaching India by sailing westward. He begged her to aid him. The good queen was so impressed with the story that she declared she would pledge her jewels if necessary to provide ships for the voyage. By the aid of the queen and of two rich sea captains of Palos, three small ships were secured. But the troubles of Columbus were not yet over. His next difficulty was in getting sailors to ship of columbus. manage his ships. No one

had ever before dared to sail straight out toward the middle of the Atlantic, and the boldest sailors were afraid to attempt it. After much delay a few sailors were induced by promises of reward to join the expedition. To fill out the necessary number, some men had to be arrested and forced into service by the king's order.

The Voyage. — A crowd of weeping wives, mothers, sisters, and friends came down to the shore to say goodbye to the daring sailors, whom they feared they would

II never see again. Leaving the harbor of Palos, Spain, Columbus with his three ships sailed southwest, and touched at the Canary Islands (see map). These islands then, as now, belonged to Spain, and were the farthest lands to the west then known. On leaving the Canaries, Columbus steered straight toward the setting sun. As the men saw the shores fade from view a feeling of dread came over them at the thought of the unknown dangers ahead. Many a sailor would have given everything he possessed to be safe back in the harbor at Palos. Columbus had no fears. Firm in his belief in the roundness of the earth, he felt certain of success. His cheerfulness and hopefulness calmed the fears of his men.

Land Discovered — As weeks passed by and no land was seen, the fears of the sailors returned. They talked of refusing to obey Columbus, and of taking charge of

MAP OF COLUMBUS S ROUTE ON HIS GREAT VOYAGE.

the ships themselyes and sailing back home. Two months passed by, and at last signs of land began to appear. Flocks of land birds flew over the ships, the breeze had an odor of flowers, a branch with berries on it floated by. The sailors now remained awake all night, each eager to get the reward promised to the one who should be the first to see land. A little before daylight one morning the firing of a gun on one of the ships announced the joyful tidings that land had been seen. At once the ships stopped, and awaited/the dawn.

The Landing — The morning sunlight revealed a beautiful island. Beyond its white sandy beach Columbus saw luxuriant grass, and tall palm trees surrounding a

COLUMBUS CLAIMING THE LAND FOR FERDINAND AND ISABELLA.

sparkling lake. Strange, red-skinned people, their naked bodies painted in bright colors, came crowding to the shore, jabbering excitedly to each other, as they pointed to the pale-faced strangers and their whitewinged ships. Dressed in his finest clothes, Columbus landed, and as he stepped upon the shore he kneeled down and returned thanks to God. Rising from his knees, he raised the flag of Spain, thus claiming the land for King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. This was Friday,, October 12, 1492.

Was It India? — Columbus was sure the new land was one of the islands which he had read lay just east of the coast of India. He was confident that the mainland of India was close at hand. His heart thrilled with joy and pride as he thought that now his years of persevering effort, weary waiting, and bitter disappointment were at last crowned with glorious success. No more would people laugh at him and say he was crazy. His belief in the roundness of the earth had been proven, for he had done what many of the wisest men of his time had declared impossible — by sailing west he had discovered (as he believed) a water route to India. Filled with thankfulness to God, he named the island San Salvador, which in our language means Holy Saviour. We know now that this island, San Salvador, is one of the Bahama group lying southeast of Florida, and that to reach India, had there been no land in his way, Columbus would have had to sail more than twice as far as he had already gone. Before returning home Columbus discovered a number of other islands, among them Cuba and Hayti. These large islands he supposed to be the mainland of India, and accordingly the Spaniards called the group the West Indies, a name they have ever since borne. For the same reason the people who inhabited them were called Indians.

Home Again — One of the three ships in which Columbus sailed was wrecked off the coast of Hayti, but fortunately all on board were saved. After a stormy voyage the two remaining ships reached the harbor of Palos, whence they had set out just seven months and twelve days before. The new r s that Columbus had returned quickly spread from house to house, and we may be sure there was great rejoicing in the little town of Palos. An eager, joyous crowd now hurried to the shore to preet their friends whom they had given up for lost.

THE FOUR VOYAGES OF COLUMBUS

Tears of joy were shed, and there were looks of wonder at the strange :*nen and birds and plants that Columbus brought back from the Western world. Instead of a poor wanderer, Columbus was now the "Great Admiral/' and people who once laughed at him and his plans were anxious to show him honor. Preparations were made at once to send out a large expedition to establish the power of Spain in her new possessions. Other Voyages. Columbus Arrested. — Columbus found no trouble in getting sailors to accompany him on his second voyage to the West. This time he discovered the island of Jamaica and numerous smaller islands. He founded a city in Hayti, which he named Isabella, after the queen. Two other voyages were made by him, during which he discovered the northern coast of South America (1498). The Spaniards who accompanied Columbus, however, were jealous of him because he was a native of a different country from themselves. No doubt he made some mistakes in his government.

Some disliked him for this reason, others hated him because he forced them to obey his orders.

So his enemies began to send word to the king that Columbus was guilty of unjust and wicked acts. He returned to Spain and proved his innocence of the charges against him. But the stories were repeated, and finally the great admiral was arrested and sent back in chains. As soon as Queen Isabella saw him, however, she was so moved w^ith pity that she burst into tears, and ordered him to be released.

Troubles in His Old Age — On his return from his fourth voyage Columbus found his good friend, Queen Isabella, dying. He himself was now a feeble old man of nearly seventy. King Ferdinand treated him with coldness. The people who had crowded around him to shout his praises on his return from his first voyage now hardly spoke to him as he passed. Homeless and friendless, he wrote to his son, "Oftentimes I have not the

QUEEN ISABELLA.

money to pay for a meal or a bed." A few months later death relieved him of his troubles. He died believing that he had discovered the eastern shore6 of Asia.

Burying Places of Columbus — The body of Columbus was first buried in Spain. Afterward, according to a wish he expressed before his death, his remains were removed to Hayti. Many years later, when Hayti was given to France, Spanish officers took what they supposed were the bones of Columbus to Cuba, and buried them at Havana. (By mistake, it may have been the bones of Columbus's son, Diego, that were removed.) After our Spanish War, when Spain had to give up Cuba, the supposed remains of Columbus were again removed. This time they were taken back to Spain and placed in the cathedral of Seville.

Success Through Failure — We know that he had failed in the great purpose of his life, yet Columbus did what

was of far more benefit to mankind than the most complete success of his plan would have been. H i s finding of the great continent on which we live was the most

LAND DISCOVERED BY COLUMBUS important geographical discovery in all history. Four hundred years have pa^ed since his great deed was done, yet to-day the name of Columbus is knows and honored through the world.

Tell about Marco Polo and his travels. What was the effect of the accounts he gave of India? What plan did Columbus form? What

THE FINDING OF AMERICA iy

did people think of his plan? Tell about the two travelers who stopped at the convent gate. How did the prior of the convent help Columbus? How were ships and sailors obtained? Tell of the beginning of the voyage and the first stop ; the direction Columbus then took. What did the frightened sailors think of doing? Tell of the discovery of land. Describe the land and the people Columbus saw from his ship. Tell about his landing. What did Columbus believe the new land to be? What do we now know it to be? What other land did Columbus discover on this voyage? Explain the names "San Salvador/' "West Indies," and "Indians." Tell about the homeward voyage of Columbus. How was he received by the people of Spain? By the king and queen? How many other voyages did he make? What lands did he discover? Why was he disliked? What harsh treatment did he suffer? How did Queen Isabella show her 'friendship? Tell about the troubles of his old age; his burying places. What purpose did he fail to accomplish? What can you say of the importance of what he did accomplish ?

THE PEOBLE WHOM COLUMBUS FOUND

America Not a New Land — We must not forget that there were people living in America long before Columbus touched these shores. The land was called "the new world" only because it was new to European eyes. To the people whom Columbus found here, the country was an old land— the home of their fathers and grandfathers through many generations past.

The First Americans — Thinking the newly discovered land to be India, Columbus called these first Americans Indians. In appearance they were different from any other people whom the white explorers had ever seen. Their skin was of a red or copper color, they had high cheek bones and long, straight hair. The men had no beard. The clothing of the Indians was scanty, and was made from the tanned skins of wild animals. Their feet were protected by soft shoes called moccasins. Their i8 bodies were straight, their movements active and graceful.

Their Homes. — Their houses were crude log buildings, or tents (called wigwams) made of skins or bark

stretched over poles. They owned no land separately. Certain regions were claimed as the hunting grounds of the tribe. A family would cultivate a piece of land one year and might the next year abandon it for a more favorable location ; the land w^as so abundant that ownership was not necessary.

They had no churches, schools or shops, no horses or cattle. They supported themselves by hunting, fishing, and by a rude form of gardening or farming. Corn and potatoes, two of the most valuable food crops of the world to-day, w r ere first cultivated by the Indians. Beans, peas, pumpkins and melons were also developed by them from wild plants, and tobacco is an Indian plant. The cultivation of the soil and most of the hard work of the home was done by the women.

Indian Education. — Although the Indians had no schools their children learned many things not found in books. The girls learned to crush grains of corn by pounding or rubbing them with stones; then to make the meal into bread which was baked as "hoe-cakes"

NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN in the ashes or upon hot rocks; they learned to dress and cook the fish, and the buffalo, deer, birds and other game brought home by men and boys. The boys learned how to make canoes — light boats made of bar or hollowed logs — and paddle them skillfully through the dangerous rapids. They learned how to make bows and arrows and to shoot the arrows with unerring aim. They learned some lessons that every boy and girl who reads this book should learn; one was to bear pain without a murmur; another was to make good use of their eyes and ears in observing the trees, plants, birds, animals and all other objects of nature around them. The poet Longfellow, writing of the Indian boy, Hiawatha, tells us:

Then the little Hiawatha Learned of every bird its language, Learned their names and all their secrets, How they built their nests in summer, Where they hid themselves in winter. Of all the beasts he learned their language, Learned their names and all their secrets, How the beavers built their lodges, Where the squirrels hid their acorns, How the reindeer ran so swiftly, Why the rabbit was so timid, Talked with them whene'er he met them, Called them "Hiawatha's brothers."

Indian Wars — The Indians greeted the first European explorers with kindness. They thought the pale-faced strangers were messengers from the gods. But the white settlers were not always careful of the Indians' rights. Each explorer, following the example of Columbus, proceeded to claim for his king the region which he had discovered, forgetting that the land had been the home of the Indians for hundreds of years. Soon the Indians came to view the whites with suspicion and the whites learned to look upon the Indians with hatred. On both sides cruel deeds were done. In many parts of the country there were long and bloody wars. The Indians fought with bows and arrows, tomahawks (stone hatchets) and scalping knives. In later years they used guns which they bought from white traders. These Indian w.ars cost many precious lives, and retarded the growth of the white settlements.

Some Famous Indians — Among the Indians of early American history were several whose names have become famous. Some of these were chiefs noted for their wise control of their tribes in time of peace or their skillful leadership in time of war. Other Indians are remembered for the great help they gave to the white settlers. Some of the famous Indians you will read about in this book are Powhatan and Pocahontas in Virginia, Tomochichi in Georgia, Massasoit Samoset and Squonto in Massachusetts, and Sequoyah in Tennessee and Oklahoma. You may turn to the pages that tell about these Indians and read the paragraphs referring to them.

The Indians To-day. — The first white settlers who came to this country occupied the land along the Atlantic coast. They cut down trees, built fences, planted crops, made homes. As the Europeans came in increasing numbers, the Indians were gradually driven westward before the advancing line of white settlements. While the number of whites increased the number of red men grew smaller. Wars among themselves, as well as with the settlers, cut them down by hundreds. Diseases like smallpox were often more fatal than wars. There are now within the limits of the United States about two hundred and fifty thousand Indians — only half as many, it is thought, as were here in the days of Columbus. Most Indians are found scattered through states west of the Mississippi River. For years many tribes were supported by the United States Government ; but that is no longer the case ; indeed, many hundreds of them have become educated, patriotic, selfsupporting citizens of our common country. In almost every department of our national government, from the United States Senate down, Indian brains are performing their share of national duties.

SOME RESULTS OF COLUMBUS'S DISCOVERIES

The Mainland First Discovered — The news of the discoveries of Columbus soon spread from Spain to other countries. Now that the brave Columbus had shown the way across the terrible ocean many other sailors were eager to sail toward the west in the hope of either finding the gold fields of India or of discovering some new land. While Columbus was preparing for his third voyage, John Cabot — an Italian sailor living in England — was studying maps and tracing on them the route Columbus was reported to have taken. He came to the conclusion that he could find a shorter route to India than Columbus had found. Accordingly he obtained permission from King Henry VII, of England, to make the attempt. Some English merchants furnished him with one small ship and eighteen men, in return for which he agreed to share with them the gold and spices he expected to find. Taking a more northerly course than Columbus had taken, he reached the icy and barren shores of what is now called Labrador (1497). This was a year before Columbus discovered the mainland of South America, so to Cabot belongs the honor of being the first to reach the continent. The next year, John Cabot's son, Sebastian, set sail with a larger expedition, and explored the coast of the continent from Labrador to the great bay since named Chesapeake. The Cabots claimed for England the land they had discovered. Like Columbus, they thought they had reached Asia. As they did not find the riches of India, the English for a long time took no further interest in western voyages.

The Coming" of the French. — When the Cabots returned from their voyages they reported that the waters off the northern shores they had visited fairly swarmed with fish, so that at times their ships were delayed by them. To the hardy fishermen of northern France good fishing grounds were more attractive than gold mines or spice fields. So they at once steered their little fishing boats toward the wonderful fish-swarming waters. In a few years the banks of Newfoundland were frequented by French fishing vessels, and a profitable fur trade between the fishermen and the Indians sprang up. In this way the claim of the French to this part of America began.