History of the United States, Volume 1 is a public-domain classic of history by Elisha Benjamin Andrews.
The complete text is on this page and the chapter pages below — all 35 chapters, about 40,737 words (~3 hours of reading), free to read online with no signup. Chapters include “Chapter 1. Columbus.”, “Chapter Ii. Early Spanish America.”, “Chapter Iii. Exploration and Colonization by the French and the English”, and more.
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NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1912
COPYRIGHT, 1894, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
TO MY WIFE
PREFACE
Notwithstanding the number of United States histories already in existence, and the excellence of many of them, I venture to think that no apology is needed for bringing forward another.
1. The work now presented to the public is believed to utilize, more than any of its predecessors, the many valuable researches of recent years into the rich archives of this and other nations.
2. Most of the briefer treatments of the subject are manuals, intended for pupils in schools, the conspicuous articulation so necessary for this purpose greatly lessening their interest for the general reader. The following narrative will be found continuous as well as of moderate compass.
3. I have sought to make more prominent than popular histories have usually done, at the same time the political evolution of our country on the one hand, and the social culture, habits, and life of the people on the other.
4. The work strives to observe scrupulous proportion in treating the different parts and phases of our national career, neglecting none and over-emphasizing none. Also, while pronouncedly national and patriotic, it is careful to be perfectly fair and kind to the people of all sections.
5. Effort has been made to present the matter in the most natural periods and divisions, and to give such a title to each of these as to render the table of contents a truthful and instructive epitome of our national past.
6. With the same aim the Fore-history is exhibited in sharp separation from the United States history proper, calling due attention to what is too commonly missed, the truly epochal character of the adoption of our present Constitution, in 1789.
7. Copious illustration has been employed, with diligent study to make it for every reader in the highest degree an instrument of instruction, delight, and cultivation in art.
8. No pains has been spared to secure perfect accuracy in all references to dates, persons, and places, so that the volumes may be used with confidence as a work of reference. I am persuaded that much success in this has been attained, despite the uncertainty still attaching to many matters of this sort in United States history, especially to dates.
BROWN UNIVERSITY, September 15. 1894.
PUBLISHERS' NOTE
The last edition of President Andrews's History was issued in 1905, in five volumes, and brought the narrative down to the inauguration of President Roosevelt in March of that year. In preparing the extension of the work by the addition of a sixth volume, entrusted to the competent hands of Professor James Alton James of Northwestern University, it has been thought desirable to begin this final volume with the chapters entitled "The Rise of Roosevelt" and "Mr. Roosevelt's Presidency." This has involved some expansion and revision of these chapters as well as the continuance of the History from 1905 to the present time. The Appendices, which include public documents of fundamental importance and the significant results in various fields of the Census of 1910, are an additional feature of the new edition.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS
Age and Origin of Man in America. Primordial Americans unlike Present Asiatics. Resemblances between their Various Branches. Two Great Types. The Mound-builders' Age. Design of the Mounds. Different Forms. Towns and Cities. Proofs of Culture. Arts. Fate of the Mound-builders. The Indians. Their Number. Degree of Civilization. Power of Endurance. Religion. The Various Nations. Original Brute Inhabitants of North America. Plants, Fruits, and Trees. Indian Agriculture.
Part First
THE FORE-HISTORY
PERIOD I
DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT
1492-1660
Bretons and Normans in the New World. The Northmen Question. Marco Polo's Travels. His Pictures of Eastern Asia. Influence on Columbus. Early Life of Columbus. His Cruises and Studies. Asia to be Reached by Sailing West. Appeals for Aid. Rebuffs. Success. Sails from Palos. The Voyage. America Discovered. Columbus's Later Voyages and Discoveries. Illusion Respecting the New Land. Amerigo Vespucci. Rise of the Name "America."
Portugal and Spain Divide the Newly Discovered World. Spain gets most of America. Voyage of de Solis. Balboa Discovers the Pacific. Ponce de Leon on the Florida Coast. Explorations by Grijalva. Cortez Invades Mexico. Subjugates the Country. De Ayllon's Cruise. Magellan Circumnavigates the Globe. Narvaez's Expedition into Florida. Its Sad Fate. De Soto. His March. Hardships. Discovers the Mississippi. His Death. End of his Expedition. French Settlement in Florida. St. Augustine. French-Spanish Hostilities. Reasons for Spain's Failure to Colonize far North. Her Treatment of the Natives. Tyranny over her own Colonies.
Verrazano. "New France." Cartier Discovers St. Lawrence Gulf and River. Second Voyage.-Montreal.-Third.-De Monts. Champlain. Founds Quebec. Westward Explorations. John Cabot, Discoverer of the North American Main. Frobisher. Tries for a Northwest Passage. Second Expedition for Gold. Third. Eskimo Tradition of Frobisher's Visits. Drake Sails round the World. Cavendish Follows. Raleigh's Scheme. Colony at Roanoke Island. "Virginia." Second Colony. Its Fate.
The Old Virginia Charter. Jamestown Settled. Company and Colony. Character of Early Virginia Population. Progress. Products. Slavery. Agriculture the Dominant Industry. No Town Life. Hardships and Dissensions. John Smith. New Charter. Delaware Governor. The "Starving Time." Severe Rule of Dale and Argall. The Change of 1612. Pocahontas. Indian Hostilities. First American Legislature. Sir Thomas Wyatt. Self Government. Virginia Reflects English Political Progress. Dissolution of the Company. Charles I. and Virginia. Harvey, Wyatt. Berkeley. Virginia under Cromwell.
The first "Independents." John Smyth's Church at Gainsborough. The Scrooby Church. Plymouth Colony. Settles Plymouth. Hardships. Growth. Cape Ann Settlement. Massachusetts Bay. Size. Polity. Roger Williams. His Views. His Exile. Anne Hutchinson. Rhode Island Founded. Settlement of Hartford, Windsor, Wethersfield. Saybrook. New Haven. New Hampshire. Maine. New England Confederation. Its Function. Its Failure.
Sir George Calvert Plants at Newfoundland. Is Ennobled. Sails for Virginia. Grant of Maryland. Lord Baltimore Dies. Succeeded by Cecil. Government of Maryland. Conflict with Virginia. Baltimore comes to Maryland. Religious Freedom in the Colony. Clayborne's Rebellion. First Maryland Assembly. Anarchy. Romanism Established. Baltimore and Roger Williams. Maryland during the Civil War in England. Death of Baltimore. Character. Maryland under the Long Parliament. Puritan Immigration. Founds Annapolis. Rebellion. Clayborne again. Maryland and the Commonwealth. Deposition of Governor Stone. Anti-Catholic Laws. Baltimore Defied. Sustained by Cromwell. Fendall's Rebellion. Fails. Maryland at the Restoration.
Henry Hudson and his Explorations. Enters Hudson River. His Subsequent Career. And his Fate. Dutch Trade on the Hudson. "New Netherland." Dutch West India Company. Albany Begun. New Amsterdam. Relations with Plymouth. De Vries on the Delaware. Dutch Fort at Hartford. Conflict of Dutch with English. Gustavus Adolphus. Swedish Beginnings at Wilmington, Delaware. Advent of Kieft. Maltreats Indians. New Netherland in 1647. Stuyvesant's Excellent Rule. Conquers New Sweden. And the Indians. Conquest of Dutch America by England. "New York." Persistence of Dutch Influence and Traits.
Beginning of Indian Hostility. Of Pequot War. Mason's Strategy. And Tactics. Capture of Pequot Fort. Back to Saybrook. Extermination of Pequot Tribe. Peace. Miantonomoh and Uncas. Dutch War with Indians. Caused by Kieft's Impolicy. Liquor. Underhill Comes. Mrs. Hutchinson's Fate. Deborah Moody. New Haven Refuses Aid. Appeal to Holland. Underhill's Exploits. Kieft Removed. Sad Plight of New Netherland. Subsequent Hostilities and Final Peace.
PERIOD II
ENGLISH AMERICA TILL THE END OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
1660--1763
Charles II. and Massachusetts. Massachusetts about 1660. Its View of its Political Rights. The King's View. And Commands. Commission of 1664. Why Vengeance was Delayed. Boldness of the Colony. It Buys Maine. Fails to get New Hampshire. The King's Rage. The Charter Vacated. Charles II. and Connecticut. Prosperity of this Colony. Rhode Island. Boundary Disputes of Connecticut. Of Rhode Island. George Fox and Roger Williams. James II. King. Andros Governor. Andros and Southern New England. In Massachusetts. Revolution of 1688. New Charter for Massachusetts. Defects and Merits.
Whites' Treatment of Red Men. Indian Hatred. Causes. Alexander's Death. Philip King. Scope of his Conspiracy. Murders Sausaman. War Begun. Nipmucks take Part. War in Connecticut Valley. Bloody Brook. The Swamp Fight at South Kingston, R. I. Central Massachusetts Aflame. The Rowlandson History. Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island again. Connecticut Valley once more Invaded. Turner's Falls. Philip's Death. Horrors of the War. Philip's Character. Fate of his Family.
New England Home Life. Religion its Centre. The Farmhouse. Morning Devotions. Farm Work. Tools. Diet. Neighborliness. New England Superstitions. Not Peculiar to New England. Sunday Laws. Public Worship. First Case of Sorcery. The Witch Executed. Cotton Mather. His Experiments. His Book. The Parris Children Bewitched. The Manifestations. The Trial. Executions. George Burroughs. Rebecca Nurse. Reaction. Forwardness of Clergy. "Devil's Authority." The End.
English Conquest of New Netherland. Duke of York's Government. Andros. Revolution of 1688. Leisler. Problems which Teased Royal Governors. New Jersey. Its Political Vicissitudes. William Penn. Character. Liberality of Pennsylvania Charter. Penn and James II. Penn's Services for his Colony. Prosperity of the Latter. Fletcher's Rule. Gabriel Thomas's History of Pennsylvania. Penn's Trials. And Victory. Delaware.
Maryland after the Stuart Restoration. Navigation Act. Boundary Disputes. Liberality of Religion. Agitation to Establish Anglicanism. Maryland under William and Mary. English Church Established. Not Oppressive. Fate of Virginia after the Restoration. Virginia's Spirit, Numbers, Resources. Causes of Bacon's Rebellion. Evil of the Navigation Acts. Worthless Officials. Course of the Rebellion. Result. Dulness of the Subsequent History. William and Mary College. Governor Spotswood. Blackbeard. Carolina. Its Constitution. Conflict of Parties. Georgia.
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