MICE'S SCHOOL JLliO JL i^I\l ^ UNITED STATES m ERICAN: Class ^.r^Jii Book Jz^_ CapghtN" COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr. A SCHOOL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES BY PHILIP ALEXANDER BRUCE AUTHOR OF " THE PLANTATION NEGRO AS A FREEMAN," " ECONOMIC HISTORY OF VIRGINIA IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY," AND LATE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY o>Kc NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI •:• CHICAGO AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY THE LIBRARY OF 1 CONGRESS, 1 Two Copies Received 1 APR 29 1903 1 Ccpynghl Entry CLASS «/ 1 i XXo, No. S US' ^OPY i' Copyright, 1903, by PHILIP ALEXANDER BEUCE Entered at Stationers' Hall, London. sen. HIST. UNITED STATES. w. p. I ! 't* -.^ P.^^- PREFACE I HAVE, in the following pages, related the early history of colonial Virginia somewhat more fully than I have done that of any one of the other colonies, because (1) Virginia was founded many years before the oldest of them ; (2) during the time Virginia remained the only English community in Amer- ica, the problem as to whether English colonization could be carried out in that region was finally solved. Previous to 1620, the year in which Massachusetts, the next English colony to be founded, was first settled permanently, the right of private property in the soil had been granted in Virginia, slaves had been brought in, an extensive trade with England carried on, a judicial system put in force, a college projected, and the first American legislature had met. These were events of extraordinary importance under the special circum- stances, and really form as much a part of the history of the other English colonies as of Virginia. In relating the events of early colonial history I have grouped the colonies together according to their economic and social character, as well as according to their local situation. Thus the account of Virginia has been followed up with an account of the other Southern colonies, in which the gen- eral conditions differed but little. For the same reason the New England colonies have next been treated in a separate 3 4 PREFACE group, though, if the chronological method were observed, Massachusetts would come immediately after Virginia. So with the Middle colonies in their turn. In this way, a clearer idea is obtained of tlie development of the various groups of colonies along the lines peculiar to themselves. Of all the wars in which the United States has been en- gaged, the great contest between JS'orth and South is the one which, for many years, will be studied with the most interest. In the light of this fact, I hope it will not seem inappropriate to have narrated it, even in a short history of this kind, at much greater proportionate length than any other four years of our national annals, however crowded with military events. In the treatment of the principal questions that have divided the people of the Southern and Northern States, the point of view of this work is Southern, but I have aimed to present this side in a temperate and moderate spirit, the only spirit becoming in a history of our reunited country. PHILIP ALEXANDER BRUCE. Clarkton, Halifax County, Va. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION PAGE The Indians 9 PERIOD I. Discovery and Exploration Norse Voyages 16 Portuguese Explorations 17 Columbus and his Discoveries 19 Early English Explorations 24 Spanish and Portuguese Explorations 26 Early Frelich Explorations 32 Permanent French Colonization 35 Later English Explorations 39 English Failures in Colonization 41 PERIOD II. Permanent Colonization and Development Southern Colonies — Virginia Southern Colonies — Maryland Southern Colonies — North Carolina Southern Colonies — South Carolina Southern Colonies — Georgia New England Colonies — Massachusetts New England Colonies — Rhode Island New England Colonies — Connecticut . New England Colonies — New Hampshire 45 56 58 61 64 66 70 72 73 CONTENTS New England Confederation Middle Colonies — New York Middle Colonies — New Jersey- Middle Colonies — Pennsylvania Middle Colonies — Delaware Social and Economic Condition of the Colonies Means of Communication and Forms of Government PAGE 74 78 81 82 84 85 91 PERIOD III. Growing Union of the Colonies The Lesser French and Indian Wars The Great French and Indian War Struggle for the Possession of the West Disagreements with Great Britain Immediate Causes of the Revolution Opening of the Revolution, 1775 . Events of the Revolution, 1775-1776 PERIOD IV. Independence Events of the Revolution, 1776-1777 Events of the Revolution, 1778 Events of the Revolution, 1779-1780 Events of the Revolution, 1781 Weakness of the Confederation . Adoption of the Constitution AND Confederation 96 100 110 114 115 125 129 135 145 149 158 165 169 PERIOD V. Under the Constitution — Union Washington's Administration 175 John Adams's Administration 181 rfefferson's Administration ...,•,.. 183 Madison's Administration 190 CONTENTS 7 PAGE Monroe's Administration . . 202 John Quincj' Adams's Administration 207 Admission of New States, 1789-1829 209 PERIOD VI. Under the Constitution — Division Jackson's Administration 216 Van Buren's Administration 225 Harrison and Tyler's Administration 228 Polk's Administration « . . 233 Taylor and Fillmore's Administration 240 Pierce's Administration ........ 243 Buchanan's Administration 246 Admission of New States, 1829-1861, and General Development 255 PERIOD VII. Under the Constitution — Disunion Lincoln's Administration — The War of Secession, 1861 The War in the West, 1862 . The War in the East, 1862 . The War in the East and on the Coast, 1863 The War in the West, 1863 . The War in the West, 1864 . The War in the East, 1864 . The End of the AVar, 1865 . 261 273 279 288 293 299 305 313 PERIOD VIII. Under the Constitution — Reconstruction Johnson's Administration 324 Grant's Administration . , 329 CONTENTS PERIOD IX. Under the Constitution — Reunion Hayes's Administration Garfield and Arthur's Administration Cleveland's First Administration . Benjamin Harrison's Administration Cleveland's Second Administration McKinley's Administration . Admission of New States, 1861-1903 Progress of the Nation to 1900 Roosevelt's Administration . 337 339 342 344 347 351 364 368 375 APPENDIX Declaration of Independence 1 Constitution of the United States 5 Index 17 COLORED MAPS The Colonies at the Time of the French and Indian War . 102, 103 The Colonies at the Time of the Revolution . . . 120, 121 Original Extent of United States and Cession of Western Lands 166 The United States and Territories in 1809 186 The United States in 1829 214, 215 The Mexican War 235 The United States in 1861 262, 263 Territorial Development of the United States .... 366 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 3>©