$ 20.] College Text-Books. 45 Epochs of American History. 3 vols. N.Y., Longmans. — Vol. I. Reuben Gold Thwaites, The Colonies. 1891.- Vol. II. Albert Bushnell Hart, Formation of the Union. 1892. - Vol. III. Woodrow Wilson, Division and Reunion. 1893. - Richard Frothingham, Rise of the Republic of the United States. Boston, Little, 1872. Arthur Gilman, History of the People of the United States. N.Y., 1889. George B. Getchell, Our Nation's Executives and their Administrations. - The Continental and National Congresses. Conspectus of the National Government, 1775–1885. The Settlement and Formation of the State Governments and State Executives. N.Y., 1885. T. W. Higginson, A Larger History of the United States. N.Y., Harpers, 1886. Alexander Johnston, History of American Politics. N.Y., Holt, 1880. Alexander Johnston, The United States; its History and Constitution. N.Y., Scribners, 1889. Judson S. Landon, The Constitutional History and Government of the United States; a Series of Lectures. Boston, Houghton, 1889. Henry Cabot Lodge, A Short History of the English Colonies in America. N.Y., Harpers [Copyright, 1881]. Goldwin Smith, The United States, an Outline of Political History, 1492-1871. N.Y., Macmillan, 1893. Simon Sterne, Constitutional History and Political Development of the United States. N.Y., Putnam's, 4th ed., 1888. § 20. General Histories. There is no comprehensive history of America from the discovery to the present time. The so-called " Bryant's Popular History" which was written by Sydney Howard Gay, covers the whole field, but an undue proportion of the space is devoted to colonial history. Bancroft stops at 1789, Hildreth at 1821, Tucker at 1840, Winsor at about 1840; Von Holst begins practically at 1829, Schouler at 1781; and Parkman, Adams, McMaster, Fiske, and Rhodes cover only limited fields or periods. It is hence the more necessary to bring students in contact with a variety of histories. Hildreth, for the period he covers, is a painstaking and accurate historian, and he discusses most of the political events which are worth remembering; but his book is tedious and in parts prejudiced. Many of the essays in Winsor's America have high historical value. For combined literary and historical merit no American historian equals Parkman, who has seized upon the imperishable interest of the French colonization, and the final victory over it of the English. Henry Adams's account of the administrations of Jefferson and Madison is a model of clear, enlightened, and fearless historical composition; Von Holst is too long for the ordinary reader, but the final chapters in most of his volumes are unique summaries of political and economic relations. Schouler's broad and reasonably complete treatment of the whole field since 1783 is marred by an eccentric and undignified style. For the Civil War and later history Ropes's Story of the Civil War and Rhodes's history are the only extended works written in a scientific spirit. There is still an opportunity for some able historian to write a complete history of America from the discovery to near the present day, in three or four volumes, a book comparable with J. R. Green's History of the English People; or even a book on the general lines of G. F. Bright's English History would be a boon to teachers and students. In addition to the list of brief general histories (§ 19 a) the following books will be found more or less serviceable for reading, for topical work, and as parallels to college lecture courses. The list should also be supplemented by the special histories and biographies enumerated in §§ 22, 25. § 20 a. Larger Comprehensive Works. 1800-1817. Henry Adams, History of the United States. 9 vols. N.Y., Scribners, 1889-91. 1760-1804. John Adolphus, The History of England. 7 vols. London, 1840-45. 1492-1789. George Bancroft, A History of the United States. Boston, 1834-74. A six-volume edition, known as The Author's Last Revision, was published at N.Y. in 1883-85. 1492-1870. William Cullen Bryant and Sydney Howard Gay, A Popular 4 vols. N.Y., Scribners, § 20 a.] Comprehensive Works. 47 1783-1789. George Ticknor Curtis, Constitutional History of the United States. One volume published at N.Y. (Harpers) in 1889, a posthumous second volume is announced, 1895. 1784-1875. Jefferson Davis, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. 2 vols. N.Y., Appleton, 1881. 1492-1700. John Andrew Doyle, The English in America. 3 vols. Published at London, Longmans, 1882-87.. Reprinted with a different pagination by Holt, N.Y. 1850-1865. John Williams Draper, History of the American Civil War. 3 vols. N.Y., Harpers, 1867-70. 1000-1600. 1789-1867. 1492-1821. 1700-1800. 2 vols. Boston, John Fiske, The Discovery of America. Richard Hildreth, The History of the United States. 6 vols. William Edward Hartpole Lecky, A History of England 1783-1821. John Bach McMaster, A History of the People of the United States. 4 vols. N.Y., Appleton, 1883-95. 1713-1783. Lord Mahon, History of England. 7 vols. Boston, Little, 1853-54. A convenient edition is the "Tauchnitz edition " in paper covers. 1745-1802. 1492-1763. 1492-1775. 1497-1797. 1783-1865. William Nathaniel Massey, A History of England during John Gorham Palfrey, History of New England. 5 vols. Timothy Pitkin, A Political and Civil History of the United Edward Alfred Pollard, The Lost Cause. N.Y., 1867. 1492-1887. John Clark Ridpath, A Popular History of the United States. N.Y., Hunt and Eaton, 1889. 1849-1862. James Ford Rhodes, History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850. 3 vols. N.Y., Harpers, 1893-95. 1783-1861. James Schouler, History of the United States under the Constitution. 5 vols. N.Y., Dodd, 1891. 1492-1857. Jesse Ames Spencer, History of the United States. 3 vols. N.Y., 1858 [Copyright]. 1861-1865. Alexander Hamilton Stephens, A Constitutional View of the Late War between the States. 2 vols. Phila., 1868-70. 1492-1840. George Tucker, The History of the United States. 4 vols. Phila., Lippincott, 1856-57. 1783-1861. Hermann Von Holst, The Constitutional History of the 1789-1877. Henry Wilson, History of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America. 3 vols. Boston, Osgood, 1872-77. 1000-1840. Justin Winsor, editor, The Narrative and Critical History of America. 8 vols. Boston, Houghton, 1886–89. § 21. Historical Geography. No important subject connected with American history has been so neglected as the historical geography of the United States. Territorial history is nevertheless essential to an understanding of the general subject. The sources are: (1) the reports of the first explorers, the contemporaneous accounts of the early explorations, and the maps of the old cartographers; (2) the grants made by various European powers for their colonies, especially the English charters; (3) treaties defining international boundaries ; (4) decisions of the English Privy Council on contested boundaries, and of international courts of arbitration; and (5) the statutes of the United States establishing territories and admitting states. Several books contain descriptions of the physical characteristics of the country and their influence on men of European origin. Among them may be mentioned the works of Professors Whitney and Shaler, both having the title The United States. The more important works dealing with the territorial development are Winsor's various contributions in his Columbus, Cartier, and Mississippi, and in the Narrative and Critical History. Professor Hinsdale has done good work in this field, especially in his Old Northwest; and the government publications connected with § 21.] Historical Geography. 49 the names of Gannett and Donaldson contain many valuable suggestions and documents, which should, however, in every case be verified. In the general histories, such as Bancroft, Hildreth, McMaster, and Henry Adams, may be found elaborate discussions of boundary and other territorial questions. The larger state histories and historical society reports contain many important discussions of these and kindred subjects. Besides the treatment of the subject in the general histories (especially Hildreth), the following special authorities may be mentioned: Bioren and Duane, Laws of the United States valuable Documents. ... as Duane's Laws." other 5 vols. Phila., Bioren, 1815. — Usually cited Reprint of House Miscellaneous Thomas Donaldson, The Public Domain. Third edition. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1884. Documents, 47. Cong., 2 sess., Pt. 4, No. 45. The Existing Laws of the United States of a general and permanent character and relating to the Survey and Disposition of the Public Domain. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1884.- House Misc. Docs., 47 Cong., 2 sess., Pt. I, No. 45. Laws of the United States exhibiting the Entire Legislation of Congress upon which the Public Land Titles in each State have depended. 2 vols. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1884. House of Representatives, House Misc. Docs., 47 Cong., 2 sess., Pt. II, No, 45. Henry Gannett, Boundaries of the United States and of the several States and Territories. Washington, 1885. — Reprint from United States Geological Survey, Bulletin, No. 13. Burke Aaron Hinsdale, Bounding the Original United States. Reprint from Magazine of Western History, II, 401-423, Sept., 1885. Burke Aaron Hinsdale, The Old Northwest: with a View of the Thirteen Colonies as Constituted by the Royal Charters. N.Y., MacCoun, 1891. Walter Bell Scaife, America: Its Geographical History. Baltimore, 1892. Justin Winsor, Narrative and Critical History of America. 8 vols. Boston, Houghton, 1886–89. - - Especially VII, 527-562. |