ILLINOIS.-In the centre of the Seal of Illinois is re presented the American Eagle, grasping in its left talon a bundle of three arrows, and in the right an olive branch, and bearing on its breast a shield or escutcheon, the lower half of which is represented of a red color, and the upper half blue, the latter bearing three white or silvery stars. From the beak of the Eagle extends a label bearing the motto, "State Sovereignty; National Union." Around the border of the seal are the words, SEAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, with the date," Aug. 26, 1818." MICHIGAN.-The Arms of the State of Michigan, as exhibited on the Seal of the State, consist of a shield, or escutcheon, on which is represented a Peninsula extending into a lake, with the sun rising, and a man standing on the peninsula, with a gun in his hand. Below the escutcheon, on a band or label, are the words, Si quæris peninsulam amanam, circumspice-"If you seek a delightful country, (peninsula,) behold it." On the upper part of the escutcheon is the word Tuebor-"I will defend it." The "Supporters" of the escutcheon are, a Moose on the left, and on the right, the common Deer, both natives of the forests of Michigan. For the "Crest," is represented the Eagle of the United States, above which is Around the border of the the motto, E pluribus unum. seal are the words, THE GREAT SEAL OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, with the numerals, A.D. MDCCCXXXV, the date of the formation of the State government. SEAL OF CIVILITAS 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. "REVERSE: A Pyramid unfinished. (Representing the American Confederacy as still incomplete,-the strueture 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 seciorum, "(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. We give their diameters in inches, commencing with the smallest. 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, 21-2; Virginia, & inches. CHARACTER AND DESIGN OF THE SEVERAL APPENDICES TO THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. 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 er subjects f proper subjects of philosophical inquiry as the former. 1 Historical instruction. National events, prop philosophical inquiry. 2. History has been styled, its design of 2. Could we ascertain the causes of all the prominent events which history relates, history would then become what it has been styled by an ancient writer, philosophy teaching by examples." "Philosophy teaching by Much may doubtless be done to make history accord more truly example with this definition, for too often is this view of its design neglected This view of even in our more prominent and larger works; and wars, and revo- ten neglected. lutions, 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 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 cal work. 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 expectany 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. 5. What ad vance might next be made. 6 Hoo illustrated. 7. What might be learned from 4. Being thus prepared by a familiarity with our subject, we may advance a step, and enter upon the field of philosophical inquiry. Let us suppose, for example, that for every law found in 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. kno oledge, 3. The importance of historical knowledge should be estimated 8. Importance by the principles, rather than by the facts with which it furnishes of historical us: and the comparative value, to us, of the histories of different and value of different his nations, should be estimated by the same standard. Therefore a tories. mere narrative of ancient dynasties and wars, which should throw 9 Certain his no light upon the character and circumstances of the people, would searches, comfurnish no valuable information to reward the student's toil. He paratively of may be moved by a curiosity, liberal indeed and commendable, to little value. explore the uncertain anuals of fabulous ages, and attempt to trace torical re ANALYSIS. out the histories of the early Egyptians, the Chinese, the Persians, and the Hindoos; but from them he may expect to derive few principles applicable to the present state of the world. 1. Compara tive values of different portions of modern his tory. the time of 6. And indeed, after passing over the days of Grecian and Roman glory, we shall find little that is valuable, even in modern history, until we come to the period of the discovery of America, when various causes were operating to produce a great revolution in hu2. Important man affairs throughout the world. The 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 gunpowder 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. 3. Causes that render Amer 7. Among modern histories, none is more interesting in its details, or more rich in principles, than that of our own country; nor can history peculiarly does any other throw so much light on the progress of society, the important. 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 re gard. 5. Period of the com mencement of American history. 8. 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 6. To that their subsequent character and destiny. Viewing the subject in this if 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 philosophi cal portion of our work. the subject leads us. 7. Why the term" Uni history. 8. Part First of this his 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. This 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. tory. 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 colonies, 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 gained by this course. 3. Additions to Part Sec ond and Part Third. 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. 4As, during the fourth period of our history, our relations with 4 41 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. of Part Fourth 5. General character and several ap pendices. design of the |