1607 Hudson discovered the coasts of Greenland. 1607-1733 The United States of America founded by the English under James I.

SOUTH AMERICA,

1500 Alvarez Cabral, a Portuguese, discovered Brazil.

1520 Magellan discovered the burning mountain and Patagonia. 1524 The discovery and conquest of Peru by Pizarro, a Spaniard.

1706 Discovery of the Malonin Islands.

MEXICANS.

In 1519, the Spaniards, commanded by Ferdinand Cortez, a simple lieutenant, under Velasques, the Governor of Cuba, made the conquest of Mexico. Then, mounted on horses, with firearms and floating batteries, spread terror amongst the Mexicans, who were tolerably well advanced in civilization and mechanical arts. The Empire of Mexico was at that time governed by a powerful king, who had a great number of vassals. Cortez made him a prisoner, and was killed in a rising of his own subjects. The Mexicans were overcome after some years of warfare, and Mexico remained in the power of the Spaniards.

The dreadful cruelties that took place in the taking of Mexico are too terrible to mention. A great many of the inhabitants were marked on the forehead with a hot iron, and afterwards sent to work in the mines. Cortez extended on hot coals the Governor of Guatamozin, the nephew of Montezuma. But all this crime did Cortez no good. Charles V. seized all his property, and ordered him to return to Spain in 1544, where he died.

The Spaniards became rich, owing to their conquests in Mexico, but the extreme severity of the laws exasperated the colonists. The events that agitated Spain in 1808, owing to the invasion of Napoleon, favoured the movement in Mexico against despotic government. A monk named Hidalgo extended the standard of independence; he was shot in 1811. Morillos, the new chief of the revolution, proclaimed in 1812 a provisional constitution. He was made prisoner, and condemned to death as a heretic and rebel. A third chief, the young Xavier Mina, underwent the same fate. Fresh events taking place caused continual revolt. Thirbide was declared generalissimo on land

and sea. A Congress was convoked, and the ambitious chief proclaimed Emperor. Several deputies had the courage to protest against it, and the opposition became general. Santa. Anna, the Governor of Vera Cruz, took the part of the nation, and the Republic was proclaimed (1812). Thirbide abdicated;" they had the generosity to exile him, giving him a considerable pension. The Mexicans constituted themselves into federal republics. Still Thirbide could not forget his dream of the Mexican Crown. He had been declared a traitor and proscribed; he, nevertheless, left England the 11th of May, 1824, and on the 8th of July he appeared at Soto la Warna with his family; he disembarked in disguise, was taken, and shot, the 19th of July. Mexico has since met with many shocks, and public tranquility seems re-established.

PERUVIANS.

In 1524, three adventurers, Francis Pizarro, the natural son of a gentleman of Estramadura, who had been in his youth a shepherd at Truseillo; Diego d'Almagro, who had been found at the church door; and Ferdinand of Lucca, the priest and schoolmaster of Panama, each more than fifty years of age, formed the project of penetrating into the continent of America. Francis Pizarro set sail from Panama in November, and discovered Peru. Huana Capac, a warrior-like prince, occupied the throne of Peru. Pizarro returned to Panama, and returned the following year to pursue his conquest. The country was at that time troubled by the chivalry of the two sons of Huana, Athualipa and Huascar, who disputed the throne. The first mentioned took possession of Quito, the capital of the Empire; both tried to gain over Pizarro, who exterminated 40,000 Peruvians. In an interview which he had with Athualipa, the inca was made prisoner. Trembling, he promised a room nearly full of golden ingots, if allowed to ransom himself. His offers were useless; he was strangled publicly, and the principal provinces of the empire became the property of the Spaniards.

Almagro, jealous of Pizarro, took possession of Cusco; but his companions marched against him, overthrew him, strangled his officers, and placed him in prison. He was afterwards decapitated at Lima, being seventy-seven years of age. Ferdinand of Lucca became a bishop, he died in 1533; but the partizans of Almagro having sworn to be revenged, Pizarro fell

under their hands. This murder caused the death of Almagro's son, surnamed the Governor of Lima. This young man perished in the same town, at the same place, and by the hand of the same executioner as his father, and was placed in the same tomb. Spanish despotism was organized in Peru as well as Mexico. The colonists only awaited an occasion for a revolt. The events of 1808 did not produce a revolution, but General Saint Martin shook the whole populace. The Indian tribes, the Spaniards, all armed themselves, and the independance of Peru was recognised and declared in 1821. Saint Martin quitted the Peruvians, after having freed them. His departure was fatal to the State he had founded. They would have fallen again into the power of Spain, had not Bolivar, his lieutenant, and General Suere reanimated the Peruvians, and gave them their liberty. Bolivar was called the Father of the People and the Saviour of Peru.

BRAZIL.

The discovery of Brazil belongs to the Portuguese. Alvarez Cabral commanded the national fleet. Wishing to proceed to India he was driven by contrary winds to the coast of Brazil, which he discovered, and took possession of in the name of the King of Portugal. This colony became of immense importance, owing to the rich mines of gold and diamonds discovered there. The history of Brazil offers nothing interesting until the year 1580, when this country passed into the power of Spain; but, in 1640, a revolution placed the family of Braganza on the throne of Portugal, which put an end to the Spanish power in Brazil. The Hollanders had, in 1624, possessed themselves of part of this country; but, after many vicissitudes, the Portuguese recovered full possession of it, in 1661, by paying a ton of gold to Holland. In 1808, when the English and French took possession of Portugal, John VI, then regent of the kingdom, passed over to Brazil, and established the seat of his government there; but, recalled by the Cortes of Lisbon, he set sail from Brazil with all his court, April the 26th, 1821. Don' Pedro, the hereditary prince, remained in America with the title of Viceroy, but the Brazilians not wishing to be dependent on Lisbon, proclaimed him Emperor of Brazil, under the name of Peter I., October the 12th, 1822. A military revolution overthrew the throne in his son's reign, Peter II. (1850.)

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The first discovery of North America was made in 1497 by the Venetians, John Cabot and his son Sebastian. These navigators sought for a passage to India in the north-western seas, found the continent, and gave it the name of Newfoundland. Pouce, of Leon, discovered Florida in 1512, and Verranzo a Florentine in the service of Francis I. They ran along the southern coast of America, and gave it the name of Nouvelle France. In the reign of Elizabeth, the unfortunate Walter Raleigh founded a colony in southern Virginia.

The affairs of South America remained in the hands of a company up to the reign of James I. (1603-1625).

Ten thousand Presbyterians, persecuted by the Episcopalians, embarked for America in 1608, and established themselves in the province of Massachusetts. Being increased by an immense number of European refugees, they dispersed themselves, and founded the colonies of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. These four cantons formed at that time different States, and each obtained a particular charter from the Court of London. The first colonists who transplanted themselves to this country hoped to find a country like their own, and called it New England. The population being greatly augmented, they commenced holding general assemblies in 1630.

The Quakers established themselves there towards the end of the 18th century, in Pennsylvania, thus named by William Penn, who acquired it. They joined themselves to the ancient colonists, but finding themselves oppressed by the Puritans, who were animated with the zeal of intolerance, they carried their complaints to England, and received protection; and the English thus derived their pretensions over the colonies.

Tranquility being reestablished, owing to the death of some fanatical Puritans, the population increased considerably; the land was cleared, and several branches of commerce excited industry; and peace and plenty crowned the efforts of the inhabitants, who, under the title of confederate colonists, distinguished themselves by the wisdom of their laws.

All was changed towards the end of Charles II.'s reign (1660). The charters were taken from the colonists. Military taxes were imposed, the amount being named by the king. The legislative power was placed in the hands of the people, but the negative power accorded to the governor; such was the state of

affairs up to the time of the revolution, which destroyed the fetters of America. The English, by their imposts on tea, timber, &c., entirely lost the affection of the people, particularly owing to the interdiction of the port of Boston, on the 23rd of May, 1774. Hessian and English troops were sent into the colonies to reduce them to obedience, and were sent for the defence of Canada. After the English had forced the French to give this country up to them, Lord Chatham, the implacable enemy of France, always said that the possession of Canada would cause the English to lose their American possessions. The English Cabinet judiciously observed, Canada guards our colonies, why does our Minister try to conquer it? But the insatiable avidity of the English court rendered it blind to its own interest. At last the vexatious policy of the metropolis decided the colonists to use force in repulsing the English. Hostilities commenced the 19th of April, 1775, in the village of Lexington, situated eighteen miles from Boston.

Assembled in General Congress, August 19, 1775, the Colonists proclaimed their independence, and promised each other mutual aid and resistance to defend their liberty. The English sent considerable forces against them, under General Howe, Burgoyne, and Blinton.

The Colonists, on their side, gave the command of their army to Washington, an experienced warrior and a splendid orator, whose eloquence raised America from the dust. A bloody combat took place at Bunker's Hill, near Boston, the 17th of June. The King's troops gained the victory; the Colonists besieged Quebec and Boston, which was taken. Fresh combats took place, sometimes with success, and at other times the reverse. The Americans sent Franklin, a prudent and learned man, to the Court of France, for aid. Louis XIV. concluded a treaty with the United States the 6th of February, 1778, and sent several regiments and twelve vessels under the orders of Admiral Estaing. Their courage arose, and confidence returned, for Spain also joined in the league against England. The English, pressed on by the Americans, the French, and the Spaniards, lost all hope, and recognised the United States of America as free States. The definitive treaty was signed on the 3rd of September, 1783.

The European powers agreed to this treaty, and Congress occupied themselves in establishing a political system in harmony with the plans of the Confederation. Some unjust aggressions