WISCONSIN. The Seal of Wisconsin presents a view of land and water scenery, designed to represent the agricultural, commercial, and mining interests of the State. In the foreground is a man ploughing with a span of horses: the middle ground is occupied by a barrel, a cornucopia, an anchor, a sheaf of wheat, a rake, and a pile of lead in bars-the latter, the most important of the mineral products of the State. The two great lakes that border the State-Lakes Michigan and Superior, have their representatives; on one of which is seen a sloop, and on the other a steamboat-and on the shore an Indian pointing towards the latter. In the distance is a level prairie, skirted, on the horizon, by a range of woodland, and having on the left a Light-house and School Building, and in the centre the State-house of Wisconsin. In a semicircle above are the words: "Civilitas Successit Barbarum," Civilization has succeeded Barbarism. At the bottom of the Seal is the date of the formation of the Territorial Government, FOURTH OF JULY, 1836, and around the Seal, in Roman capitals, the words, THE GREAT SEAL OF THE TERRITORY OF WISCONSIN. The following is the recorded de scription of the device of the Seal of the United States, as adopted by Congress on the 20th of June, 1782. "ARMS: Paleways of thirteen pieces, argent and gules; a chief azure; the escutcheon on the breast of the American Eagle displayed, proper, holding in his dexter talon an olive branch, and in his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all proper, and in his beak a scroll inscribed with this motto, E pluribus unum 1 "For the CREST: Over the head of the Eagle, which appears above the escutcheon, a glory, or, breaking through a cloud, proper, and surrounding thirteen stars forming a constellation, argent, on an azure field." This seal has a Reverse side, of which the following is the description. "REVERSE: A Pyramid unfinished. (Representing the American Confederacy as still incomplete,-the structure to be carried upwards as new States are admitted into the Union.) In the zenith an Eye in a triangle, (representing the Allseeing Eye,) surrounded by a glory proper. Over the eye these words, Annuit cœptis,' (God has favored the undertaking.) On the base of the pyramid the numerical letters MDCCLXXVI, (1776,) and underneath the following motto, Novus ordo seclorum,'" (A new series of ages; -denoting that a new order of things has commenced in this western world.) NOTE:-Although we have made all the engraved copies of the Seals of the States of uniform size, yet the original seals are of different sizes. mencing with the smallest. We give their diameters in inches, com Rhode Island and Texas, 11-2 inches; Iowa, 15-8; Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Maryland, 13-4; New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Florida, South Carolina, and Mississippi, 2; New York and Vermont, 2 1-8; Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, and the Seal of the United States, (which is engraved the full size,) 21-4; Connecticut, (oval,) 2 3-8 long, and 17-8 broad; Delaware, Alabama, Maine, and Missouri, 23-8; New Jersey and Michigan, 2 1-2; Virginia, & inches. CHARACTER AND DESIGN OF THE SEVERAL APPENDICES TO THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 1 Historical instruction. National 1. The mere detail of such events as most attract public atten- ANALYSIS. tion while they are occurring, embraces but a small portion of the instruction which History is capable of affording. The actions of individuals do not occur without motives, nor are national events ever attributable to chance origin; and the latter are as much the proper subjects of philosophical inquiry as the former. erea prop er subjects af philwophical inquiry. teaching by 2. Could we ascertain the causes of all the prominent events which history relates, history would then become what it has been been stylet, 2. History has styled by an ancient writer, philosophy teaching by examples." "Philosphy Mach may doubtless be done to make history accord more truly example" with this definition, for too often is this view of its design neglected Taschen of even in our more prominent and larger works; and wars, and revo- te: neglected. lations, and all great public events, are described with minuteness, while the social, moral, and intellectual progress of the people, and the causes that are working these changes, receive too little of that attention which their importance demands. 3. Proper plan and object of tary histori an elemen cal work. 3. The former plan, however, that of narrative principally, is essential in an elementary work, the object of which should be to interest the youthful mind by vivid representations of striking characters and incidents, and thereby to render the great events and divisions of history familiar to it. The mind will thus be 4. What far prepared to derive benefit from any accidental reading that is in ther is expect any manner associated with the same subjects: it will have a ground-complished by work to build upon; for these familiar localities, like points of magnetic attraction, will gather around them whatever comes within the circle of their influence. ed to be ac the plan. 6. How illustrated. 7. What might be learned from 4. 5Being thus prepared by a familiarity with our subject, we 5. What admay advance a step, and enter upon the field of philosophical in- tance might quiry. Let us suppose, for example, that for every law found in next be made. the history of a people, we should attempt to ascertain the reasons which induced the legislator to give it his sanction, and its probable effects upon the community. The entire social relations of a people might thus be developed, their manners, customs and opinions, their ignorance and their knowledge, their virtues and their this system. vices; and the national progress would be traced far more clearly in those silently operating causes, than in the spectacle of the merely outward changes produced by them. Indeed, a mere narrative of the ordinary events of history can be justly regarded as of utility, only so far as it furnishes the basis on which a more noble superstructure, the "philosophy of history," is to be reared. 9 tories. Certain his 5. The importance of historical knowledge should be estimated 8. Importance by the principles, rather than by the facts with which it furnishes of historical kno oledge, us; and the comparative value, to us, of the histories of different and value of different hisnations, should be estimated by the same standard. Therefore a mere narrative of ancient dynasties and wars, which should throw no light upon the character and circumstances of the people, would furnish no valuable information to reward the student's toil. He may be moved by a curiosity, liberal indeed and commendable, to explore the uncertain anuals of fabulous ages, and attempt to trace torical researches, com paratively of little value. ANALYSIS. out the histories of the early Egyptians, the Chinese, the Persians, and the Hindoos; but from them he may expect to derive few prin ciples applicable to the present state of the world. tive values tory. 1. Compara- 6. 'And indeed, after passing over the days of Grecian and Roof different man glory, we shall find little that is valuable, even in modern hisportions of tory, until we come to the period of the discovery of America, when modern hisvarious causes were operating to produce a great revolution in hu2. Important man affairs throughout the world. 2The period of the dark ages changes about had passed, and literature and science had begun to dawn again the discovery upon Europe: the art of printing, then recently invented, greatly of America. facilitated the progress of improvements; the invention of gun the time of 3. Causes that render Amercan history important. powder changed the whole art of war; and the Reformation soon began to make such innovations in religion as changed the moral aspect, not only of the states which embraced its principles, but of those even that adhered to the ancient faith and worship. Among modern histories, none is more interesting in its details, or more rich in principles, than that of our own country; nor peculiarly does any other throw so much light on the progress of society, the science of public affairs, and the arts of civil government. In this particular we claim an advantage over even England herself,-the most free, the most enlightened of the states of the old world. For, since our destiny became separate from hers, our national advancement has been by far the most rapid; and before that period both formed but separate portions of one people, living under the same laws, speaking, as now, the same language, and having a common share in the same history. 4. Why the study of American his. tory claims our first regard. 5. Period of the commencement of American history. 6. To what this view of the subject leads us. 7. Why the term" United States history. S. 4The study of American history, therefore, in preference to any other, claims our first regard, both because it is our own history, and because of its superior intrinsic importance. But here the question arises, as we were colonies of Great Britain, when and where does our history commence? We answer, that although the annals we can strictly call our own commence with our colonial existence, yet if we are to embrace also the philosophy of our history, and would seek the causes of the events we narrate, we must go so far back in the annals of England as we can trace those principles that led to the founding of the American colonies, and influenced their subsequent character and destiny. Viewing the subject in this light, some acquaintance with English history becomes necessary to a proper understanding of our own; and this leads us to a development of the plan we have adopted for the more philosophical portion of our work. 9. Although the history of the "United States" does not properly extend back to the period when those states were dependent is applied to colonies, yet we have adopted the term "United States" for the title the following of a work embracing the whole period of our history, because it is more convenient than any other term, and because custom sanctions it. 8This History we have divided into Four Parts. The first embraces the period of Voyages and Discoveries, extending from the discovery of this western world to the settlement of Jamestown in Virginia. We have given in this part a narrative of the prominent events that preceded the founding of the English American colonies, and this is all that could be given of what is properly American history during this period. 8. Part First of this hisLOTY. 9. Character of the first appendix. 10. In the "Appendix to the period of Voyages and Discoveries," we have taken up that portion of the history of England contained between the time of the discovery of America, and the planting of the first English colonies in the New World, with the design of examining the condition of the people of England during that pe riod, the nature of their institutions and laws, and whatever can ANALYSIS. throw light upon the character and motives of those who founded the American colonics, and who, we should naturally suppose, brought with them, to this then wilderness world, the manners, customs, habits, feelings, laws, and language of their native land. But it is the social, rather than the political history of Englandthe internal, rather than the external, that is here important to us, and it is to this, therefore, that we have mostly confined our attention. We hope thus to have prepared the advanced student to enter upon the study of our colonial history with additional interest, and with more definite views of the nature and importance of the great drama that is to be unfolded to him. 1. To what English hisportion of tory we have fined our at 2 mostly contention The objects hoped to be guined by this course. to Part Sec end and Part 3. Additions Third. of Part Fourth. 11. At the close of Part Second, embracing the period of our colonial history, and also at the close of Part Third, embracing the period of the Revolution, we have given, in an Appendix, some farther account of such European events as are intimately connected with our own history, and which serve to give us a more comprehensive and accurate view of it than we could possibly obtain by confining ourselves exclusively to our own annals; in connection with which we have examined the policy of England towards her colonies the influences exerted by each upon the other-the difficulties of our situation-the various peculiarities exhibited among ourselves, and the germs of our subsequent national character. As, during the fourth period of our history, our relations with 4. At the close England were those of one independent nation with another, England no longer claims any special share of our attention, and at the close of this period we have examined briefly the character, tendency, and influences of our national government, and have also given an historical sketch of some important political questions that have been but briefly noticed in the narrative part of the work. 12. The design of the several Appendices is, therefore, to explain the influences which operated in moulding the character of our early English fathers, to develop the causes which led to the planting of the American colonies, and to illustrate the subsequent social and political progress of the American people; or, in other words, to give a simple and plain, but philosophical history of AMERICAN CIVILIZATION. 5. General character and design of the several ap pendices. GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY EMBRACED The UNITED STATES and their territories, occupying the middle division of North America, lie between the 25th and the 54th degrees of North latitude, and the 67th and the 125th degrees of West longitude, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and containing an area of about 2,600,000 square miles. They have a frontier of about 10,000 miles; a sea coast of 3,600 miles; and a lake coast of 1200 miles. This vast country is intersected by two principal ranges of mountains, the Alleghany and the Rocky Mountains, the former in the East, running nearly parallel to the Atlantic coast, from Georgia to New York; and the latter in the West, crossing the territory in a direction nearly parallel to the coast of the Pacific. The Alleghanies run in separate and somewhat parallel ridges, with a breadth of from 60 to 120 miles, and at a distance from the sea coast of from 80 to 250 miles. The general height of the Alleghanies is only from 1000 to 2000 feet above the adjacent country, and from 2000 to 3000 feet above the level of the ocean. The highest peak in this range is the Black Mountain, in the western part of North Carolina, which is 6,476 feet high. The Rocky Mountains, which may be regarded as a part of the great chain of the Cordilleras, are at an average distance of about 600 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and have a general height of about 8000 or 9000 feet above the level of the sea, but not more than 5000 feet above the surrounding country. Some of their most elevated peaks rise to the height of 10,000 or 12,000 feet. East of the Alleghany Mountains the rivers flow into the Atlantic: West of the Rocky Mountains they centre mostly in the Columbia, which flows into the Pacific; while between these great mountain ranges, the many and large streams centre in the valley which lies between them, and through the channel of the Mississippi seek an outlet in the Gulf of Mexico. The Atlantic coast is indented by numerous bays, and has a great number of excellent harbors. The soil of New England is generally rocky, and rough, and better adapted to grazing than to grain, with the exception of the valleys of the rivers, which are highly fertile. South of New England, and east of the Alleghanies generally, the soil has but moderate fertility, being light and sandy on the coast, but of better quality farther inland. Throughout the extensive valley of the Mississippi the soil is generally of excellent quality, the middle section, however, being the most fertile. West of Missouri, skirting the base of the Rocky Mountains, are extensive sandy wastes, to which has been given the name of the "Great American Desert." Oregon Territory, lying west of the Rocky Mountains, is divided into three belts, or sections, separated by ranges of mountains running nearly parallel to the coast of the Pacific. the Cascade Mountains, embracing a width of from 100 to 150 miles, is generThe western section, extending from the ocean to ally fertile, and near the foot of the Cascade range the climate and soil are adapted to all the kinds of grain that are found in temperate climates. The soil of the second or middle section of Oregon, embraced between the Cascade range and the Blue Mountains, is generally a light sandy loam, the valleys only being fertile. The third or eastern section of Oregon, between the Blue and the Rocky Mountains, is a rocky, broken, and barren country. More particular Geographical descriptions of the several states embraced in the American Union, and of the most important lakes, bays, rivers, towns, &c., will be found in the Geographical Notes throughout the work. graphical description of Texas, now a part of the Republic, will be found on pages 621, 622. The Gco |