equipment of which cost more than one billion of dollars ($1,151,560,289). In 1870, it had further increased to more than 53,000. Of all the enterprises of this character, the Pacific Railroad is the most stupendous. This road extends from Omaha in Nebraska to San Francisco, and connects with the great lines from the east, bringing the great eastern cities within a week's journey from San Francisco. It is 1,913 miles long between the two points above mentioned. This great undertaking was completed in 1869. Other railroads are also in contemplation across the western part of the country to the Pacific Ocean. The Northern Pacific, already commenced, has its eastern terminus at Lake Superior (Duluth) and its western at Puget's Sound, in Washington Territory. 17. Thus are the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans bound together by an iron band, by means of which, in connection with the Trans-Pacific lines of steamships, China, India, and Japan are brought within a few weeks' travel of the great American marts, and the rich products of those realms are poured into them in boundless profusion. New sources of enterprise and wealth are also developed in our own country by the same means, and additional incentives offered for settlement in the wild and uncultivated, but richly endowed, regions of our widely-extended domain. 18. Telegraphs.—The demand for the rapid communication of intelligence was by no means supplied by the locomotive and railroad; and the agency of electricity has been brought in to supplement the deficiencies of steam. The invention of the electro-magnetic telegraph is due to Prof. Morse, who, in 1844, erected the first line, between Baltimore and Washington, a distance of forty miles. This line was extended northward, through Philadelphia and New York, to Boston, in 1845. From this comparatively small beginning a vast system of telegraphic lines has been constructed, by means of which all the great centres of trade and population in the world have been brought into instantaneous communication. In 1850, the length of telegraph lines in the United States was 23,281 miles; in 1854, it had increased to 41,392 miles; and in 1858, to more than 50,000 miles. At the present time it cannot be less than 100,000 miles. 19. Atlantic Telegraph.-The first successful submarine telegraph was laid in 1851, across Dover Strait, connecting Dover and Calais. Three unsuccessful attempts to establish a telegraphic cable across the Atlantic Ocean were made in 1857, 1858, and 1865. In the first and last of these, the cable parted and was partially lost; in the second, it was laid, but almost immediately failed to convey signals. A fourth attempt, in 1866, proved entirely successful. The success of this gigantic enterprise, persisted in under so many discouragements, was largely due to the untiring energy of Cyrus W. Field. The successful cable of 1866 was made in England, and laid by the Great Eastern, the largest steam-vessel ever constructed. She was built in London, and made her first trip in 1859. The Atlantic cable is about 2,600 miles long, and contains no less than 25,000 miles of copper-wire in the conductor, 35,000 miles of iron wire in the outside covering, and upward of 400,000 miles of strands of hemp; more than enough in all to go twenty-four times round the world. Its strength is sufficient to bear a strain of nearly twenty-eight tons. 20. Education.-The establishment of Common Schools, in which all classes could be educated, has been a distinguishing feature in the civil progress of the country. Several of the States have inserted in their Constitutions articles requiring the maintenance of public schools. In New England, the principle has been ever avowed and sustained, that it is the right and duty of government to provide the means for the instruction of the youth of all classes of society in the elements of learning. Other States have adopted this principle. In Massachusetts, by statute enacted in 1647, "each town, consisting of fifty householders, was directed to maintain a school to teach their children to read and write, and every town of one hundred families was to maintain a grammar-school to fit youth for college." In the early history of Connecticut, similar laws were passed. 21. It has been uniformly a part of the land system of the United States to provide for public schools. In the organization of territories and the admission of States, the condition has often been imposed, that a part of each township should be permanently applied for the use or support of such schools. In nearly all the States there is a large fund devoted to the support of common schools, under provisions of State law. The special instruction of teachers has become a prominent feature in the educational systems of most of the States. Several of the States have a Normal School fund. In most of the Slave-States, popular education was greatly neglected; but since the close of the Civil War, strenuous efforts have been made in many of the southern States to provide the means of educating all classes, including the children of the freedmen. The High Schools and Colleges of the country have also attained a high rank for scholarship and efficiency of education. 22. Literature.-During the colonial period, America gained no prominence in any department of literary effort, except, perhaps, that of theology, religious disputation almost absorbing the intellectual energies of the age. Jonathan Edwards, by the publication of his masterly “Treatise on the Will," at once secured for himself the respectful attention of thinkers in the mother country; several of his sermons were republished in England. This distinguished man died in 1786. Since that time American literature has been enriched by many works of genius in al most every department. In oratory, no nation can claim to have surpassed the United States; and the speeches of Webster, Clay, and Everett will ever remain as monuments of the literary culture, as well as clearness and power of reasoning, of those distinguished men. These are but the bright stars in a cluster of very brilliant names, 23. Irving's writings were the first to make American literature popular abroad; their genial spirit, inimitable humor, and elegant style attracting all classes of readers. In history, independently of what has been done to illustrate specially the annals of every part of our own country by a host of worthy writers, the works of Bancroft, Hildreth, Prescott, and Motley have given our literature a high rank. In fiction, Cooper won for himself by his "Leather-stocking Tales," a very decided pre-eminence; but Hawthorne, as a literary artist, is doubtless decidedly superior. Paulding, Simms, Kennedy, Neal, Brown, and Poe, occupy conspicuous places in this field of literary effort. 24. The effusions of American poets have deservedly obtained very high commendation and favor. These writers are a legion in number; and in this brief sketch, even a partial enumeration is impossible. Halleck, Willis, Longfellow, Whittier, Bryant, have, however, won for themselves a conspicuous place in the popular esteem. James R. Lowell and Oliver W. Holmes, as humorous poets, have also attained a wide reputation. The two most prolific branches of American literature are educational works and journalism, in both of which the country has attained a rank which, without doubt, will compare favorably with that of any other nation. Elizabeth. Henry VIII. Henry VII. | English. CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. Discoveries and Explorations. 1492. The West Indies were discovered by Columbus. 1499. South America was visited by Amerigo Vespucci. 1520. The coast of Carolina was visited by De Ayllon. 1524. Coast of North America explored by Verrazzani. 1528. Florida was explored by Narvaez. 1534. The St. Lawrence was discovered by Cartier. 1541. The Mississippi was discovered by De Soto. Colonial History. 1562. The Huguenots attempted to colonize Carolina. 1564. The second Huguenot colony was begun in Florida. 1565. Florida was settled at St. Augustine, by Spaniards. 1579. West coast of North America explored by Drake. 1584. The Carolina coast explored by Raleigh's expedition. 1585-7. Raleigh made two attempts to colonize Carolina. 1602. The Massachusetts coast was explored by Gosnold. 1606. The London and Plymouth Companies received charters 1607. The London Company planted a colony at Jamestown. 1609. The Hudson River was discovered by Hudson. 1614. The New England coast was explored by Smith. New York was settled by the Dutch. 1619. Negro slavery was introduced into Virginia. 1620. Plymouth was settled. 1623. New Hampshire was settled. James English. Charles The Common wealth. Charles 1630. Boston was settled by the Massachusetts Bay colony. 1633. Connecticut was settled at Windsor. 1634. Maryland was settled at St. Mary's. 1635. Saybrook (2d colony in Connecticut) was settled. 1655. New Sweden (Delaware) conquered by the Dutch. 1665. The Connecticut colonies united under one charter. 1682. Pennsylvania (at Philadelphia) was settled. Delaware was granted by the Duke of York to Penn. 1689. King William's War began in America. 1690. É 1692. 1697. Port Royal (Nova Scotia) captured by the English. 66 The Treaty of Ryswick " ended the war. 1702. Queen Anne's War began in America. 1710. Port Royal captured (2d time) by the English. 1733. Georgia was settled at Savannah. 1744. King George's War began in America. 1745. 1748. 1755. 1757. 1758. Louisburg was taken (1st time) by the English. 1759. 1760. 1763. |