was succeeded by James Munroe. During the eight years of his administration the country was quiet and prosperous. John Quincy Adams became president in 1825. He was the son of old John Adams, who had been the next president after Washington. Neither the first nor the second president Adams continued in office longer than four years. 7. The next president was General Andrew Jackson. He was inaugurated in 1829, and began his second term of office in 1833. He was succeeded by Martin Van Buren, in 1837. Van Buren was succeeded by General Harrison, who died after he had been in office only a month. His place was filled by John Tyler, the Vice-President. next President was James K. Polk, who was elected in 1845. In 1849, General Zachary Taylor was President. In 1850, Millard Fillmore; and in 1853 General Franklin Pierce. The QUESTIONS.-1. When was the constitution of government formed? 2. Who was the first president? When did he come into office? When did Washington's death take place? Effect of his death? When was John Adams chosen? 3. What did Jefferson purchase of the French? In what year? How large a country was it? What did it cost? When was Madison made president? What of the United States during his administration? 4. When was war declared? What of wars in Canada? What of naval battles? What of land battles? 5. Describe the battle of New Orleans. When did it take place? 6. What was done in 1817? In 1825? Whose son was John Quincy Adams? When did Jackson become president? 7. When was Martin Van Buren made presidents? Mention the others that succeeded him. CHAP. CLXXIX.-AMERICA continued. GENERAL REMARKS UPON THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 1. I HAVE now told you a short story about the United States of America. You will notice that the first settlement made by the white people in the United States, was at Virginia, in 1607; the next in New York by the Dutch, in 1613; the next by the Puritans, or, as they are often called, the Pilgrims, at Plymouth, in Massachusetts, in 1620. 2. Other parts of the country were soon settled, chiefly by people from England; but colonies were established also by Swedes, Germans, and French. Thus the whole country along the Atlantic border became inhabited. By degrees, the settlers went farther and farther into the wilderness, until towns and cities rose up throughout the whole interior of the land. 3. Thus you will observe, that about two hundred and thirty years ago, there was not a white inhabitant throughout that vast country. The Indian tribes were numerous, and their whole number, within the present boundary of the United States, might have been two hundred thousand. 4. But these lords of the forest gradually disappeared before the white people. Many of them were slain in battles with the settlers; the others gradually retired, as the forests were cut down and the lands cleared. 5. They lived by hunting wild deer, bears, buffaloes, and wild turkeys; and, as these animals fled from towns and cities, and took refuge in the forests, so the Indians went with them. 6. In this way the red men vanished from the settled portions of the country, and at this day there are few of them to be seen, except in the far western wilderness. There herds of wild deer, vast flocks of bisons, bears, wild turkeys, and other wild animals, are to be found, and there is now the home of the Indians. 7. Well, as the Indians retired, the white people increased, being all under the government of the king of England. At the time of the revolution they were three millions in number; and, as the king wished to tax them without their consent, they threw off his authority and set up a government for themselves. 8. This government, or constitution, was formed in 1789, and the little nation of three millions has now become twenty-two millions strong; of whom, however, more than one-seventh are slaves, so that they cannot boast much of their perfect equality. QUESTIONS.-1. Where and when was the first settlement in the United States? The next? The next? 2. What of other parts of the country? 3. What of the United States two hundred and thirty years ago? What of the Indians? 4, 5. Tell the story of the Indians. 6. Where are they now principally to be seen? What of animals? 7. What of the white people? Their numbers at the time of the revolution? 8. When wa the American government completed? Population of the United State at this time? CHAP. CLXXX.-AMERICA continued. ABOUT SOUTH AMERICA. EL DORADO, AND THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. 1. No sooner had Columbus discovered America, than the pope of Rome claimed it all as his own. None of the Catholic kings of Europe were supposed to have any right to plant colonies there, unless his holiness granted them permission. 2. Alexander the Sixth was pope at that time. He very generously bestowed one half of the new world on the king of Spain, and the other half on the king of Portugal. These kings then sent out ships and men, who conquered immense territories, and reduced many of the inhabitants to slavery. 3. The Spaniards first took possession of the West Indies. They built the city of Havannah, on the island of Cuba, and the Spanish governor had his residence there. Other nations afterwards took possession of these islands. The great object of all who came to America at this period, was to get gold and silver. The most wonderful stories were told about the abundance of those metals in some parts of the western continent. 4. There was supposed to be a kingdom, called El Dorado, or the Gilded, which was thus described:-The king was every day covered with powdered gold, so that he looked like a golden image. The palace of this glittering monarch was built of brilliant marble as white as snow. The pillars of |