GREAT EVENTS
IN
THE HISTORY
OF
NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA;
FROM THE ALLEGED
DISCOVERY OF THE CONTINENT,
BY THE NORTHMEN, IN THE TENTH CENTURY,
TO
THE PRESENT TIME;
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EMINENT MEN CONNECTED WITHAMERICAN HISTORY.
BY CHARLES A. GOODRICH,
AUTHOR OF "UNITED STATES' HISTORY," "LIVES OF THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATIONOF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE," &c., &c.
ILLUSTRATED WITH UPWARDS OF TWO HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS,
CHIEFLY FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS, BY EMINENT ARTISTS.
HARTFORD:
PUBLISHED BY HOUSE & BROWN
1851.
ENTERED, ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR 1849, BY
CHARLES A. GOODRICH,
IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF CONNECTICUT.
FOUNDRY OFS. ANDRUS AND SON,HARTFORD. | PRESS OFWALTER S. WILLIAMS,HARTFORD. |
PREFACE.
The plan of the following work, whatever may be thought of its execution,will commend itself, it is believed, to the taste and judgment of the public. Itproceeds upon the principle of selection, being chiefly confined to the GreatEvents of American History, and which are treated of as distinct subjects. Inthese respects, the work differs from other historical works on the same subject.
The advantages of a work thus constructed, are too obvious to need specification.Yet, it may be remarked, that great events in history are like greatobjects in nature and art. It is the bolder features of a country—the morecostly and imposing edifices of the city—the higher and more elaborate achievementsof art—upon which we delight to dwell. In like manner, great eventsattract our attention and interest our minds, because of their relations—becauseof the higher qualities of mind which, perhaps, gave them birth, and the strikingand lasting changes which grow out of them. They serve as landmarks in ourdrift down the stream of time. We date from them. We refer to them. Wemeasure between them. We compare them one with another—their causes,progress, influences; and, in so doing, our knowledge of men and things isadvanced—our false opinions are corrected—our topics for interesting andprofitable speculation and reflection greatly multiplied. A thorough perusal ofa work thus constructed will secure, it is believed, a more competent and permanentknowledge of the history of a country, than some half-dozen readingsof that history, written on the ordinary plan.
The principle of selection will render the work the more valuable to certainclasses of persons—to those who, desirous of a competent knowledge of thehistory of their country, have but a limited time to devote to the study of it;to the young, whose minds are apt to become wearied and perplexed with thenumber and details of minor events; and to those who wish to refresh theirrecoll