THE "MINIATURE CHART OF AMERICAN HISTORY," found on the following two pages, a mere outline of a larger chart measuring about five feet by six and a half. The design of the small chart is, principally, to furnish, by its convenience for reference, additional aid to those pupils who may be studying the outlines of the history from the larger one; for as the small chart wants the coloring of the other, and many of its Important l'atures, it will be found, separately, of comparatively little importance. A brief explanation of the "Miniature Chart," however, may, in this place, be useful. The two divisions of the chart should be considered as brought together, so as to present the whole united on one sheet. The chart is arranged in the "downward course of time," from top to bottom, embracing a period of nearly 350 years, extending from the discovery of America by the Cabots, in 1497, to the year 1845. The dark shading, extending entirely across the chart at the top, represents all North America as occupied by the Indian tribes at the time of the discovery;-and, following the chart downwards, the gradually increasing light portions represent the gradual increase of European settlements. The darkest shading represents the country as unexplored by the whites;the lighter shading, as having been explored, but not settled. Thus, Vermont was the last settled of the New England States; Upper Canada was settled at a much later period, and some of the western United States still later. On the right is a column of English History; then a column of dates, corresponding with which the events are arranged on the chart from top to bottom; then follows the history of the present British Provinces north of the United States; then the histories of the several United States as their names are given at the bottom of the chart: after the territories, at the left, and adjoining Oregon, appear Texas, Mexico, and Central America. The large chart, of which this is a very imperfect outline, gives the prominent features, in the histories of all the settled portions of North America. The utility of well-arranged charts is very much the same as that of historical maps. Although maps give the localities of events, they cannot give their sequences, or order of succession; but as the eye glances over the chart, and follows it downwards in the stream of time, there is presented to the mind, instead of one local, fixed picture, a mov Ing panorama of events. In the map, the associations are based upon the proximity of locality; in the chart, upon the order of succession; and the two combined, in connec tion with the written history, give the most favorable associations possible for the at tainment and retention of historical knowledge. One prominent advantage of the chart, however, separately considered, is, that it presents at one view a Comparative History, of which books alone can give only a very inadequate idea, and that only to a welldisciplined memory of arbitrary associations. A view of the chart makes upon the mind as lasting an impression of the outlines of a country's history, as does the map of Its topography, when the plans of both are equally understood; and the prominent features in a country's history may be recalled to the mind, after a study of the chart, with the same facility that the geographical outlines may be recalled, after a study of the map; for the principles upon which the mind acquires the knowledge, through the medium of the eye, are in both cases the same. The chart, the map, and the wiitten history, should be used together; the chart, presenting at one view a comparative chronology of the events, being considered the framework of the structure; and the map, giving the localities, the basis upon which it stands. INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHOOL EDITION OF THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES IN offering the fol owing History to the public, a few remarks appear necessary, in order to point out those particulars in which it is believed to possess peculiar merits Of the adaptation of the style to the object intended, and of the moral and general influence of the work, the public alone must be the judges. Those who would compare its historical accuracy with other histories on the same subject, are referred to a Critical Review of American Histories, by the same author, first published in the Biblical Repository for July, 1845; which may give some idea of the labor and care bestowed upon the compilation of the following work. We would, however, here inform the reader that a uniformity in the system of dates has been preserved, the dates being given throughout in New Style. See this important subject examined in the before mentioned Review. It will be observed that the marginal dates and references in the following work are numerous; carrying along a minute chronology with the history. This plan avoids the necessity of encumbering the text with dates, and at the same time furnishes, to the inquiring reader, a history far more minute and circumstantial than could otherwise be embraced in a volume much larger than the present. The more prominent features in the PLAN of the work, in which it differs from any other History, are, the Arrangement of the Questions in the margin, and the introduction of numerous Maps, Charts, and Geographical Notes. The QUESTIONS are arranged in the margin, each opposite that portion of the text to which it refers, and numbered to correspond with similar divisions of the text. In point of convenience and utility, it is believed that this plan of arrangement is far more desirable than that hitherto adopted, of placing the questions at the bottoms of the pa ges, or at the end of the volume. Moreover, the questions are designedly so constructed as to require from the pupil a knowledge of the whole text.-The supposed utility of the CHART, (pages 10 and 11,) may be learned from the description of the same on page 9. The progressive series of the three LARGE MAPS, on pages 46, 284, and 375, show the state of the country at different periods. The First represents the country as occupied by the Indian Tribes, fifty years after the settlement of Jamestown, when only a few bright spots of civilization relieved the darkness of the picture. The Second, as it was at the close of the Revolution, when almost the entire region west of the Alleghanies was a wilderness,-showing how slowly settlements had advanced during the long period that the colonies were under the dominion of Great Britain. The Third repre sents the country as it now is, and as it has become under the influence of republicar institutions. In place of the recent wilderness, we observe a confederacy of many states, each with its numerous cities, towns, and villages, denoting the existence of a great and happy people. The GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTES, and SMALL MAPS, at the bottoms of the pages, give the localities of all important places mentioned, and furnish that kind of geographical information respecting them, without which the history can be read with lit de interest or profit. Maps of important sections of the Union, the vicinities of our large towns, plans of battle grounds and sieges, &c., are here given on the same pages with the events referring to them, where they necessarily catch the eye of the pupil, so that they can hardly fail to arrest his attention, and increase the interest tha he feels in the history. On the whole, it is believed that the plan here adopted, considered apart from what ever other merits the work, may possess, affords unusual facilities for the ernisition of historical knowledge |