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OF THE

UNITED STATES,

CONTAINING ALL THE

EVENTS NECESSARY TO BE COMMITTED TO MEMORY -

WITH

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,

The Constitution of the Anited States,

AND

A TABLE OF CHRONOLOGY,

FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS.

BY BISHOP DAVENPORT.

A NEW EDITION, REVISED, IMPROVED, AND BROUGHT UP TO
THE PRESENT TIME,

BY JOHN J. ANDERSON,

PRINCIPAL OF WARD SCHOOL, NO. 16, NEW YORK

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Multum in Parvo.

PHILADELPHIA:

URIAH HUNT & SON.

NO. 62, NORTH FOURTH STREET.

CINCINNATI: APPLEGATE & CO

HAYVARD

UNIVERSITY!
LIBRARY
46*307
DVERTISEMENT.

THE continued demand for this little book having required it to be re-stereotyped, the Publishers have embraced the opportunity of giving it a thorough revisal, through the able agency of J. J. Anderson, the editor. That gentleman has taken especial pains to adapt the work more particularly to the use of Common Schools; and, having at his command an extensive library and many facilities of easy reference to the most autnoritative publications, he has from these sources materially improved the book. It is believed that every important event, without exception, is here noted, and that every date will be found correct in itself, and consistent with the statistical tables. The events are so linked together, likewise, that the work forms, in a manner, an uninterrupted narration, from beginning to end.

With all these improvements, the Publishers hope that the book will gain many new friends, in addition to those who, for so many years, have marked their favor by continually using it.

PHILADELPHIA, September, 1850.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, by

URIAH HUNT & SON,

in the clerk's office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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DISCOVERY OF AMERICA BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.

THE most considerable part of the discoveries of man have been owing to chance; that of the New World was solely the fruit of genius and reasoning.

COLUMBUS, from that justness of mind and reasoning which mathematical knowledge gives, calculated, very justly, that if our earth was a globe, which he thought beyond a doubt, we knew yet only a part of it; and that, in setting out from Europe, and steering always towards the west, he must either meet with new lands or arrive at the eastern coasts of Asia. Struck with this fortunate and equally simple idea, he successively addressed himself to Genoa, his country, to France, England, and Portugal, everywhere soliciting for the means to be able to execute what he had conceived; but everywhere he was repulsed as a madman; so much have old errors the advantage over new truths. Lastly, the perseverance of Columbus, after eight years of solicitation, succeeded with Isabella of Castile. He set out in 1492, with some small vessels given up to his solicitations, more than confided to his wisdom; and after a navigation of thirty-three days, during which interval the continual mutiny of his crew, who looked upon him as mad, had exposed him to continual danger, he landed at one of the Bahamas, which his personal situation induced him to call St. Salvador; for he must infallibly have perished by the hands of his crew, if he had not at last found land. From this little island, Columbus landed on another, greater and more populous, abounding in gold and productions of all sorts; it was called Haiti; he gave it the name of Hispaniola; it is the same which we now call St. Domingo (Hayti). The fortunate admiral returned then to Europe. Let us judge, if we can, of his joy, his satisfaction, his glory, when his first word proclaimed to the ancient world the existence of a new one. It is related that his debarkation was a true delirium, and his route through Spain, a triumph. This is the history of the true discovery of America. The good, honest, and worthy Columbus died in Spain, in 1506, after four successive voyages, intermixed with every thing the most bitter that envy. disgust, ingratitude, and injustice can present.

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OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLERS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Philadelphia, Jan. 17, 1853.

At a meeting of the Controllers of Public Schools, First District of Pennsylvania, held at the CONTROLLERS' CHAMBER, on Tuesday, January 11th, 1853, the following Resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That the History of the United States, by Bishop Davenport, be introduced to be used in the Public Schools of this District.

ROBERT J. HEMPHILL, SECRETARY.

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Question. What is History?

Answer. History is a written narrative of past transaotions, in regular succession.

Q. How is History divided?

A. History is divided into, ancient and modern: which may be subdivided into civil, sacred, and profane. Q. What is Ancient History?

A. Ancient History is an account of all events, whether recorded by sacred or profane writers, from the creation of the world to the birth of Christ.

Q. What is Modern History?

A. Modern History is a relation of whatever has occurred, either in church or state, from the birth of Christ to the present time.

Q. What is Civil History?

A. Civil History is the history of nations; and has relation to the establishment, continuance, and fall of empires, kingdoms, states, or cities.

Q. What is Sacred History?

A. Sacred History is that part, both of ancient and modern, which lays before us the mysteries and ceremonies of religion, recorded in the Old and New Testaments. Q. What is Profane History?

A. Profane History is, properly, the history of the fabulous gods, demi-gods, and heroes of antiquity; but all records of ancient times, the Scriptures excepted, are, sometimes, thus denominated.

Q. What is the most ancient History we have?

A. The most ancient History is that which is contained in the Old Testament; giving an account of the -creation of the world, &c.

Q. How long before the birth of Christ was the creation of the world?

A. 4004 years.

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