Transcriber's Note
- The position of some illustrations has been changed to improvereadability.
- Illustration captions in {brackets} have been added by the transcriberfor reader convenience.
- Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note.
THE STORY OF
AMERICAN HISTORY
FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
BY
ALBERT F. BLAISDELL
AUTHOR OF "FIRST STEPS WITH AMERICAN AND BRITISH AUTHORS,"
"STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY," ETC.
BOSTON, U.S.A.
GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS
The Athenæum Press
1902
1902
Copyright, 1900, by
ALBERT F. BLAISDELL
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PREFACE.
Some sort of a first book on American history is now quite generallyused in schools as a preparation for the more intelligent study of alarger and more formal text-book in the higher grammar grades.
For beginners, a mere compilation of facts is dry and unsatisfactory.Such books have now given place, for the most part, to those prepared ona more attractive and judicious plan. The real aim in a first bookshould be to interest boys and girls in the history of their country,and to encourage them to cultivate a taste for further study andreading.
This book is intended for use in the earlier grammar grades and to bepreliminary to the study of a more advanced work in the higher grades.The author has also kept in mind the fact that the school life of manychildren is brief, and that all their instruction in American historymust come from a text-book of this kind.
The author has not aimed to cover the whole range of our country'shistory. Of many noted men and important[Pg iv] affairs no mention is made.Only the leading events of certain periods and the personal achievementsof a few representative "makers of our country" are treated in anydetail. The subject is approached through biographical sketches of a fewof the more illustrious actors in our nation's history. Some prominenceis given to exceptional deeds of valor, details of everyday living inolden times, dramatic episodes, and personal incident.
The schoolroom test demonstrates the fact that such a treatment of thesubject is more attractive and profitable to children of the lowergrades than the mere recital of minor matters and petty details ofpublic events.
The author would acknowledge his indebtedness to Dr. Homer B. Sprague ofNew York City for editorial help in reading and revising the manuscript.Thanks are also due to Dr. John E. Sanborn of Melrose, Mass., foreditorial assistance.
A. F. BLAISDELL.
November, 1900.
Note.—The attention of teachers and pupils is especially directed tothe practical usefulness of the subject of "Reference Books andSupplementary Reading for Successive Periods in American History," astreated on pages 424-435 in the Appendix.