Nations that have owned our Soil.—Before the United States became a nation, six European powers owned, or claimed to own, various portions of the territory now contained within its boundary. England claimed the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. Spain once held Florida, Texas, California, and all the territory south and west of Colorado. France in days gone by ruled the Mississippi valley. Holland once owned New Jersey, Delaware, and the valley of the Hudson in New York, and claimed as ...

A Quaker Forty-Niner, written by Charles Edward Pancoast and edited by Anna Paschall Hannum, is a rare and candid firsthand account of life in California during the Gold Rush. Pancoast, a Philadelphia Quaker, traveled west in 1849 at the height of gold fever, and his memoir records the hardships, hopes, and disillusionments of that remarkable journey. With an eye for detail and an honesty born of Quaker plain-speaking, he describes the arduous voyage around Cape Horn, the raw mini...

In "A School History of the United States," John Bach McMaster presents a comprehensive and accessible overview of American history tailored specifically for school students. Employing a narrative style that balances factual rigor with engaging storytelling, McMaster meticulously outlines pivotal events from pre-Columbian times to the post-Civil War era. His work is characterized by a clear organization and a focus on key figures and notable events, which lend themselves to the educational...

In "A Brief History of the United States," John Bach McMaster presents a comprehensive, yet succinct narrative of American history, emphasizing the social and political evolution of the nation from its colonial origins to the post-Civil War era. McMaster employs a clear and engaging literary style, weaving together detailed accounts of pivotal events and influential figures with a critical analysis of the societal forces shaping the United States. As a notable contribution to historical li...

In "A Brief History of the United States," John Bach McMaster deftly chronicles the evolution of the American nation from its colonial roots to the late 19th century. His narrative combines meticulous research with a compelling prose style that makes history engaging and accessible. McMaster's work is positioned within the context of 19th-century historiography, characterized by a focus on national identity and moral clarity, as he interweaves political, economic, and social themes to pres...

It has long been the custom to begin the history of our country with the discovery of the New World by Columbus. To some extent this is both wise and necessary; but in following it in this instance the attempt has been made to treat the colonial period as the childhood of the United States; to have it bear the same relation to our later career that the account of the youth of a great man should bear to that of his maturer years, and to confine it to the narration of such events as are real...

It has long been the custom to begin the history of our country with the discovery of the New World by Columbus. To some extent this is both wise and necessary; but in following it in this instance the attempt has been made to treat the colonial period as the childhood of the United States; to have it bear the same relation to our later career that the account of the youth of a great man should bear to that of his maturer years, and to confine it to the narration of such events as are real...

Feeling in Spain.—America, at this time, was to the Spaniard a land of vague, but magnificent promise, where the simple natives wore unconsciously the costliest gems, and the sands of the rivers sparkled with gold. Every returning ship brought fresh news to quicken the pulse of Spanish enthusiasm. Now, Cortez had taken Mexico, and reveled in the wealth of the Montezumas; now, Pizarro had conquered Peru, and captured the riches of the Incas; now, Magellan, sailing through the straits which ...

It is not too much to assert that most of our countrymen acquire at school all the knowledge they possess of the past history of their country. In view of this fact it is most desirable that a history of the United States for elementary schools should present not only the essential features of our country's progress which all should learn, but also many things of secondary consequence which it is well for every young American to know.

It has long been the custom to begin the history of our country with the discovery of the New World by Columbus. To some extent this is both wise and necessary; but in following it in this instance the attempt has been made to treat the colonial period as the childhood of the United States; to have it bear the same relation to our later career that the account of the youth of a great man should bear to that of his maturer years, and to confine it to the narration of such events as are really ...

It is not too much to assert that most of our countrymen acquire at school all the knowledge they possess of the past history of their country. In view of this fact it is most desirable that a history of the United States for elementary schools should present not only the essential features of our country's progress which all should learn, but also many things of secondary consequence which it is well for every young American to know.

Here is a brisk, accessible, and vivid introduction to arguably the most important event in the history of the United States--the American Revolution. Between 1760 and 1800, the American people cast off British rule to create a new nation and a radically new form of government based on the idea that people have the right to govern themselves. In this lively account, Robert Allison provides a cohesive synthesis of the military, diplomatic, political, social, and intellectual aspects of the ...