The Colonies, 1492-1750

Dear Reader, This book was referenced in one of the 185 issues of 'The Builder' Magazine which was published between January 1915 and May 1930. To celebrate the centennial of this publication, the Pictoumasons website presents a complete set of indexed issues of the magazine. As far as the editor was able to, books which were suggested to the reader have been searched for on the internet and included in 'The Builder' library.' This is a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by one of several organizations as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online. Wherever possible, the source and original scanner identification has been retained. Only blank pages have been removed and this header- page added. The original book has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books belong to the public and 'pictoumasons' makes no claim of ownership to any of the books in this library; we are merely their custodians. Often, marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in these files – a reminder of this book's long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you. Since you are reading this book now, you can probably also keep a copy of it on your computer, so we ask you to Keep it legal. Whatever your use, remember that you are responsible for ensuring that what you are doing is legal. Do not assume that just because we believe a book to be in the public domain for users in Canada, that the work is also in the public domain for users in other countries. Whether a book is still in copyright varies from country to country. Please do not assume that a book's appearance in 'The Builder' library means it can be used in any manner anywhere in the world. Copyright infringement liability can be quite severe. The Webmaster Epochs of American History THE COLONIES 1492- 1750 m^ BY REUBEN GOLD THWAITES, LL.D. EDITOR OF " JESUIT RELATIONS," " EARLY WESTERN TRAVELS," ETC. AUTHOR OF " FRANCE IN AMERICA," " FATHER MARgUETTE," " HISTORIC WATERWAYS." ETC. WITH FOUR MAPS AND NUMEROUS BIBLIOGRAPHIES Twenty-Fifth Impression LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK PRAIRIE AVENUE & 25TH STREET, CHICAGO LONDON, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS I9I5 ^ Copyright, 1890, By Charles J. Mills. Copyright, 1897, By Longmans, Green, and Co, Copyright, 1910, By Longmans, Green, and Co. A II rights reserved. First Edition, December, 1890. Reprinted, September, 1891, February, 1892, (Revised), January and August, 1893, December, 1893, (Revised), August, 1894, October, 1895, J"^y> ^^Q^j August, 1897, (Revised), November, 1897, July, 1898, July, 1899, April, 1900, January, 1901, October, 1901, August, 1902, November, 1902, October, 1904, September, 1906, May, 1908, June, 1910, (IJevised), October, 1911, • June, 1913, June, 1915. ' EDITOR'S PREFACE. In offering to the public a new History of the United States, — for such the three volumes of the Epochs of American History, taken together, are designed to form, — the aim is not to assemble all the important facts, or to discuss all the important questions that have arisen. There seems to be a place for a series of brief works which shall show the main causes for the foundation of the colonies, for the formation of the Union, and for the triumph of that Union over disintegrating tendencies. To make clear the development of ideas and institutions from epoch to epoch, — this is the aim of the authors and the editor. Detail has therefore been sacrificed to a more thorough treatment of the broad outlines : events are considered as evidences of tendencies and principles. Recognizing the fact that many readers will wish to go more carefully into narrative and social history, each chapter throughsut the Series will be provided with a bibliography, intended to lead, first to the more com- mon and easily accessible books, afterward, through the hsts of bibliographies by other hands, to special works and monographs. The reader or teacher wil^ vi Editor's Preface. find a select list of books in the Suggestions a few pages below. The historical geography of the United States has been a much-neglected subject. In this Series, therefore, both physical and political geography will receive special attention. I have prepared four maps for the first volume, and a like number will appear in each subsequent volume. Colonial grants were confused and uncertain ; the principle adopted has been to accept the later interpretation of the grants by the English government as settling earlier questions. To my colleague, Professor Edward Channing, I beg to offer especial thanks for many generous suggestions, both as to the scope of the work and as to details. ALBERT BUSHNELL HART. Cambridge, December i, 1890. AUTHOR'S PREFACE. Upon no epoch of American history has so much been written, from every point of view, as upon the Thirteen Colonies. There has, nevertheless, been lacking a book devoted especially to it, compact in form, yet sufficiently comprehensive in scope at once to serve as a text-book for class use and for general reading and reference. The present work is intended to meet that want. In this book American colonization is considered in the hght of general colonization as a phase of history. Englishmen in planting colonies in America brought with them the institutions with which they had been famihar at home : it is shown what these institutions were, and how, in adapting themselves to new conditions of growth, they differed from English models. As prominent among the changed conditions, the physical geography of America and its aboriginal inhabitants receive somewhat extended treatment ; and it is sought to explain the important effect these had upon the character of the settlers and the development of the country. The social and economic condition of the people is described, and attention is paid to the political characteristics of the several colonies both in the conduct of their local affairs and in their relations with each other and the viii Author's Preface. mother-country. It is shown that the causes of the Revolution were deep-seated in colonial history. At- tention is also called to the fact, generally overlooked, that the thirteen mainland colonies which revolted in 1776 were not all of the English colonial establishments in America. From Dr. Frederick J. Turner, of the University of Wisconsin, I have had much advice and assistance throughout the prosecution of the work ; Dr. Edward Channing, of Harvard College, has kindly revised the proof-sheets and made many valuable suggestions ; while Dr. Samuel A. Green, librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society, has generously done similar service on the chapters referring to New England. To all of these gentlemen, each professionally expert in certain branches of the subject, I tender most cordial thanks. REUBEN GOLD THWAITES. Madison, Wis., December i, 1890. PREFACE TO TWENTY-SECOND EDITION. From time to time there have been several revisions of the text, so that it has been kept fairly abreast of current investigation. The bibliographies, however, have remained untouched since the tenth edition (August, 1897). The principal change in the present, therefore, consists in the introduction of new and carefully prepared references, which will render the book of greater service to the student than it has been at any time within the past ten years. In this revision, I have had the valuable assistance of Miss Annie A. Nunns. R. G. THWAITES. Madison, Wis., June i, 1910. SUGGESTIONS. While this volume is intended to be complete in itself, compression has been necessary in order to make it con- form to the series in which it appears. It really is but an outline of the subject, a centre from which to start upon a study of the American colonies. The reader, especially the teacher, who would acquire a fairly complete knowledge of this interesting period of our history, will need to examine many other volumes ; from them gaining not only further information, but the point of view of other authors than the present — only in this manner may an historical perspective be obtained. The classified bibliographies, given by the author at the head of each chapter, have been prepared with much care. While perhaps few will desire to follow the topics to the lengths there suggested, it is urged that as many of the other volumes as possible be consulted, particularly those con- taining source material. Following is a hst of books which, even for a brief study, would be desirable for reference and comparison, or for the preparation of topics : 1-5. John Andrew Doyle: English Colonies in America. 5 vols. New York : H. Holt & Co., 1882-1907. — An analytical study, in much detail, by an English author. 6-13. John Fiske: Beginnings of New England; The Discovery of America^ 2 vols.; Dutch and Quaker Colonies in : — X SiLggestio7is for Readers a7id Teachers, America, 2 vols. ; N'ew France and New England ; Old Vir- ginia and her Neighbours, 2 vols. Boston : Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1897-1902. — The best popular accounts; but while eminently readable and inspiring, not sufficiently thorough at all points, to serve as authoritative studies. 14. Henry Cabot Lodge: Short History of the English Colonies in America. New York : Harper Brothers Co., 188 1. — Concise and readable. 15-17. Herbert Levi Osgood: American Colonies in the jyth Century.

Load more