Epochs of American History THE COLONIES 1492-1750 BY REUBEN GOLD THWAITES SECRETARY OF THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. LONDON AND BOMBAY Copyright, 1890, Copyright, 1897, BY LONGMANS, GREEN, and Co. All rights reserved. First Edition, December, 1890. Reprinted, September, 1891, February, 1892, (Revised), LIBRARY Leland Stanford, Jr. UNIVERSITY a62103 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, the editor. - this is the aim of the authors and 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 throughout the Series will be provided with a bibliography, intended to lead, first to the more common and easily accessible books, afterward, through the lists of bibliographies by other hands, to special works and monographs. The reader or teacher will 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 1, 1890. PREFACE TO THE TENTH EDITION. THE time has come to take advantage of the increase in the literature of Colonial History, by rewriting the Suggestions for Readers and Teachers. Inasmuch as the author of The Colonies is out of the country, by arrangement with him I have also rewritten the bibliographies prefixed to the chapters. ALBERT BUSHNELL HART. CAMBRIDGE, July 1, 1897. |