A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. FOR FAMILIES AND LIBRARIES. BY BENSON J. LOSSING, AUTHOR OF "PICTORIAL FIELD-BOOK OF THE REVOLUTION," "HISTORY OF THE UNITED Os one side stands an old man representing The Past, counting the passage of the years upon the dial of Time. On the opposite side is a young woman, representing The Present, and holding in her hand the Constitution, and the pileus and cap of Liberty. She is pointing to the unfinished pyramid of the States of the Republic, over which is the rising sun, with the words EXCELSOIR-" still higher!" On one side of The Past is The British Flag indicating the Colonial Era. On the other side is the American Flag, indicating the Confederation. In the center is a Doric Column, Emblem of Strength and Congruity, surmounted by an Eagle, the symbol of Sovereignty. These represent our government. Leaning against the column is History, making her records. On the side of The Past is a Censer, emblem of Purification, the incense from which, coming down from The Past, is diffused over The Present. Over-arching the whole are stars upon a blue field, our national Constellation, and symbol of our Confederated States. Around The Past clusters the Ivy, and around The Present is the Honeysuckle. HARVA LI ARY Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, BY MASON BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. ELECTROTYPED BY 82 & 84 Beekman Street, N. Y. PRINTED BY C A. ALVORD, 15 Vandewater-st., N. Y. PREFACE. THIS work has been prepared with great care, for the purpose of supplying a want long felt by the reading public, and especially by Heads of Families. Every important event in the history of the United States, from the Aboriginal period to the present time, is presented in a concise, but perspicuous and comprehensive manner, without giving those minute and often tedious details, which are valuable to the student, but irksome to the common reader. The History of our Republic is herein popularized, and adapted to the use of those who may not find leisure to peruse more extensive works upon the subject. The materials have been drawn from the earlier, most elaborate, and most reliable historians and chroniclers of our continent. The work is constructed upon a new plan, which, it is believed, will be found to be the most acceptable yet offered to the public, for obtaining, with facility, and fixing in the memory, a knowledge of the great events of our truly wonderful history. And having visited a greater portion of the localities made memorable by important occurrences in our country, the writer claims, in that particular, an advantage over his predecessors in this special field, for he has been able to correct errors and give truthful impressions of things and events. An endeavor has also been made to show the cause of every important event, and thus, by developing the philosophy of our history, to make it more attractive and instructive than a bald record of facts. And wherever the text appeared to need further elucidation, additional facts have been given in foot-notes. The arrangement of the work is new. It is in six Periods, each commencing where the history naturally divides into distinct epochs. The first Period exhibits a general view of the Aboriginal race who occupied the continent when the Europeans came. The second is a record of all the Discoveries and preparations for settlement, made by individuals and governments. The third delineates the progress of all the Settlements until colonial governments were formed. The fourth tells the story of these Colonies from their infancy to maturity, and illustrates the continual development of Democratic ideas and Republican tendencies which finally resulted in a political |