Page:Maury's New Elements of Geography, 1907.djvu/47

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1. Washington is the capital of our country. It is named after General Washington. He chose the location of the place on which it should be built. Where the city, with its magnificent public buildings, now stands, there was in his days nothing but woods, marshes, and cornfields.

Washington is situated in what is called the District of Columbia, which was named after Columbus, in honor of his great discovery. Can you tell what that was? (See p. 32.)



2. Government.—Our country is a Republic. The highest officer is called the President. He is chosen by the people to serve four years. A certain number of men also are chosen by the people to go every year to Washington to make laws. These men form what we call the Congress.

3. History.—A little more than one hundred years ago there were thirteen colonies—that is, settlements—along our Atlantic coast, belonging to England.

The king of England did not govern these colonies well. The people became dissatisfied, and on the 4th of July, 1776, declared, in what is known as the Declaration of Independence, that they would not be governed by the king any longer.

War with England had begun. General Washington, who was one of the greatest and best of men, commanded our armies. The war lasted nearly seven years. We were victorious.

The thirteen independent states joined themselves together under one government. They called themselves the United States.

4. Growth.—Since that time millions of settlers have come here from various countries of Europe, and the United States has grown in a wonderful manner.

Then there were thirteen states; now there are forty-eight states and two territories. Then our country was only a narrow strip along the Atlantic seacoast; now it extends to the Pacific ocean, and includes also many islands in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. (See maps of these oceans.)

Then there were no canals, railroads, nor steamboats; now steamers ply on every large river, and railroads have crossed the continent. Then there were only three million people; now there are about ninety millions, not counting those in our island regions.

5. Sections of the United States.—The states and territories are divided into the following groups or sections: The New England states, the Middle Atlantic, the Southern, the Central, and the Rocky Mountain and Pacific. The territories are Alaska and Hawaii.