History of the United States of America

Preface

Fob many years I have contemplated writing a history of the United States in a single volume, that should fall between the elaborate works, which are beyond the reach of most busy people, and the condensed school histories, which are emasculated of all literary style through the necessity of crowding so many facts into small space.

In writing this history my aim has been to present an accurate narrative of the origin and growth of our country and its institutions in such a form as to interest the general reader. I have constantly borne in mind the great importance of combining the science of historical research with the art of historical composition, I have aimed also, especially when treating the national period, to balance the narrative and critical features in intelligent proportion. A mere recital of facts, without historic criticism, without reference to the undercurrents that move society, is no longer acceptable in this age of thinking readers.

I have endeavored to write, as stated, for the general reader, but not with a patronizing form of expression, as if addressed to the uneducated, or to children, nor with a burden of worthless incident and detail, nor yet with any effort to please those who delight only in the spectacular. At the same time, knowing that many intelligent people who wish to know something of their country are not fond of reading history, I have given careful attention to style, in the hope that the book might be easy and pleasurable to read, as well as instructive.

I have devoted much space to the life of the people, — their habits, modes of life, occupations, general progress, and the like, especially in the earlier period when they differed most widely from ourselves. But in treating the national period I have, how-

PREFACE ever, without neglecting the industrial and social features, given greater space to political and constitutional development, as in this the life of a people who govern themselves is epitomized.

In my treatment of wars and disputes with foreign powers, I am aware that, with all my effort to view a subject from a neutral, judicial standpoint, an unconscious bias may be discerned; but should the book find any foreign readers, I beg them to remember that I have written absolutely sme ira.

In treating the Civil War and the great events that led to it, I have taken the utmost care to be fair to both sides; though as a native and resident of the North I no doubt partake of the prejudice of my section, if such prejudice can still be said to exist. I have refrained from using the terms "rebel" and "traitor" to designate those who rose against the government in the sixties, because of my profound respect for their sincerity.

One subject — American literature — I had hoped to treat with greater fullness ; but I found that an adequate treatment of this very important subject would require too great a space for the scope of this volume. It is therefore recommended that this phase of our history be studied in separate works devoted to the purpose.^

The notes at the ends of the chapters are intended to elucidate something that has preceded in the text, to give personal traits of leading characters, to mention matters of too meager importance for the main narrative, or, as in many cases, to relate some event of real importance which did not exactly fit in the body of the text.

In preparing this work I have had frequent recourse to the original sources, but make no pretense that the work is based wholly, or even chiefly, on original research. I have freely used the works of other writers. A large number of these have been cited in the footnotes for the purpose of aiding the reader who desires to pursue the subject further, or to acknowledge an obligation to an author whose thought or form of expression has been, in some measure, adopted. Much information, however, has been gathered from sources not herein mentioned.

1 Wendell's "Literary History of America" is an excellent work; so also ia Trent's " History of American Literature."

PREFACE vll

That the work may be accepted as authoritative throughout, I have exercised the utmost care to secure historic accuracy ; but absolute accuracy is not always attainable, especially where points are under dispute, and where such a great number of subjects are to be treated. The pointing out of any errors by the reader will be deemed a kindness.

My thanks are due to many kind friends for suggestions; to various librarians in Philadelphia and New York for special courtesies ; to Mr. Stewart Culin, former curator and Indian specialist of the University of Pennsylvania, who kindly read and criticised the chapter dealing with the Indian character. Above all, I am indebted to Professor Herman V. Ames of the University of Pennsylvania, who read the greater portion of the manuscript and made many important suggestions. To his thorough scholarship and ripe judgment I have deferred in many instances.

H. W. E.

Philadelphia, February, 1904.

CHAPTER I Christopher Columbus PAGB

Spirit of the Age 1

Theories of tlie Earth and Geographical Knowledge ..... 3

Early Life of Columbus 7

Columbus and the Sovereigns 9

The Voyage 11

The New World 15

Later Career of Columbus 19

John Cabot 23

The Naming of America 25

Other Discoverers and Discoveries 26

The New England Confederation (1G43-1684) 120

King Philip's War 121

Edmund Andres 123

Puritan Laws and Character 127

CHAPTER VII Colonization — The Middle Colonies

New Amsterdam 133

New York 138

New Jersey 146

Delaware 149

Pennsylvania 151

CHAPTER Vin

French Explorers j » . 160

King William's War , , . 162

Queen Anne's War 165

King George's War 168

CHAPTER IX The French and Indian War

A View of the Belligerents Duquesne and Acadia .

William Pitt Fall of Quebec .

Conspiracy of Pontiac .

Colon

Population and Social Rank Occupations and Customs .

Religion ; Education ; Medicine .

Means of Travel ; Mails ; Newspapers Colonial Government .

The Navigation Acts .

CHAPTER X \L Life PAGE

174 178 186 188 194

201 206

210 216 i.HAPTER XI The Revolution — Opening Events and Causes

Otis and Henry . 222

The Stamp Act and Other Acts 224

King George III 231

The Continental Congress ; Lexington 235

The Constitution

The Men that made it 327

Business of the Convention . 328

The Constitution before the People 334

The First President 337

CHAPTER XVII Twelve Years of Federal Supremacy The First Congress . , 342

Rise of Political Parties „ . 348

America and France c . 351

America and England ; the Jay Treaty . 354

Relations with France . 360

Fall of the Federal Party , o 367

CHAPTER XVIII Jefferson and the Democracy

A View of the People , . 376

A View of the Leaders , 380

Louisiana , . ^ . 383

Burr and Hamilton 388

Impressment of Seamen . 394

French Decrees and English Orders in Council ...... 398

The Embargo ,400

Character of Jefferson , , » . 403

CHAPTER XIX The War of 1812

Drifting toward War , , 409

Hostilities on the Great Lakes .415

Victories on the Sea ..,.». 420

Further Operations on the Lakes ...,.,.. 426

The Washington Campaign .......... 434

National Finances . . . = o . . . . ■ . 443

Observations o . . . , . 445

CHAPTER XX Dawn of National Consciousness Recuperating 452

The Missouri Compromise 456

Monroe's Second Term 462

John Quincy Adams 469

Means of Travel and Invention .... .... 472

CHAPTER XXI The Reign of Jackson American Life in 1830 o , » e . 478

The People's President . . . . . . „ ^ , 480

The Civil Service .,..,....,. 484

Jackson and Calhoun ..,,.,,,,., 485

Nullification in South Carolina . , , , ' , . , . . 487

The Reelection and the Bank . , , .. ^ . o „ . 492

Foreign Relations and Indian Wars . . , ., , . , . . 496

Character of Jackson , . . o . 498

Martin Van Buren ........... 601

The Panic and the Independent Treasury ,,,..... 503

The Harrison Campaign . . . , . » . . , . 506

CHAPTER XXII Rise of the Slavery Question Harrison's Brief Tenure Tyler and the Whigs

The Story of Texas Presidential Election of 1844

PAGE

513 514 516 518

CHAPTER XXIII The Mexican War and the Compromise of 1850

Oregon and California , , 525

Zachary Taylor in Mexico , , , , , 527

The Conquest of California , . , . 529

The Great March upon Mexico ..„.,. n . . 5o0

Results of the War ..,..,,.... 588

Zachary Taylor 538

Eighteen Hundred and Fifty ,......., 540

The Fugitive Slave Law in Oi^eration , 548

The Undergi-ound Railroad , , . . . 558

Slave Life in the South , , . 556

Chapter XXIV

The Great Political Duel between the North and the South preceding the Civil War The Presidential Election of 1852 Death of Clay and Webster .

Fall of the Whig Party The Kansas-Nebraska Bill .

Founding of the Republican Party Presidential Election of 1856 The Struggle for Kansas Dred Scott Decision The Lincoln-Douglas Debates John Brown and Harpers Ferry .

The Presidenital Election of 1860

Beginnings of the Great War

A View of the Belligerents 647

Events of April 649

Opening of Hostilities in Virginia and Missouri G63

The Extra Session of Congress , . 659

The Trent Affair 661

CHAPTER XXVIII The Civil War — The First Year's Conflict

The First Naval Expeditions 670

The Duel of the Ironclads . 673

Operations in the Mississippi Valley 676

Farragut and New Orleans . 688

The Peninsular Campaign 691

The Seven Days' Fight before Richmond 697

CHAPTER XXIX The Civil War — War on a Grand Scale

The Confederate Government . 704

Pope's Campaign in Virginia 706

Antietam 708

Emancipation 712

Buell, Bragg, and Rosecrans , . 716

Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville , . 721

Democratic Opposition — Vallandigham , . 725

Doings of Congress 730

Vicksburg 732

Gettysburg .739

CHAPTER XXX The Civil War — The Great Final Double Movement PAOR

Chickamauga and Chattanooga , . 748

Grant in the Wilderness . 751

The Atlanta Campaign — Mobile , . 758

The Presidential Election .761

The Final Work of the Armies ........ . 765

Death and Character of Lincoln , . 773

Foreign Relations — The Alabama 776

CHAPTER XXXI Andrew Johnson and Reconstruction

The New Problem 786

The New President and the Old Plan 790

Thirteenth Amendment 793

Congressional Reconstruction 795

The Carpetbaggers — The Race Question 799

Impeachment of President Johnson .. = ..... 805

The Great Trial 808

CHAPTER XXXII Recuperating Years

The Election of 1868 813

Opening of a New Era 816

The Treaty of Washington ., . 810

The Liberal Republican Movement . 822

Horace Greeley - . 824

Executive Demoralization •, . 826

Financial Legislation 829

Political Reaction ^ . . 832

The Centennial c 834

The Disputed Presidential Election 835

CHAPTER XXXIII Industrial Progress

New Conditions . . . . o ^ o . * . . . 843

The Fisheries Dispute .... 847

The Garfield Tragedy ....„, 849

Civil Service Reform 854

A Political Revolution = 857

New Conditions 861

The Tariff Issue 865

Important Acts of 1890 „ , . 868

The Election of 1892 873

Latest Industrial Progress and Inventions

Integration of Industries 942

The Labor Movement 944

Travel and Transportation 945

Other Important Inventions 949

CHAPTER XXXVII America in the Great War

Why we Entered the War . . . ' '951

Efficient Democracy 954

PAGE

On the Sea and in ]<^urope . . . 956

Organization at Home 968

Tlie War before we Arrived 961

The Last Year and Victory 964

The Battle of the Meuse-Argonne 967