V may abound in interest, are not immediately connected with the object in view. When I have apparently departed from this rule, it has been because I know that this book will have many readers in Europe, who are, perhaps, not perfectly familiar with the details of our affairs. I have endeavored to present such incidents in a condensed manner, restricting myself to those points which seemed most essential to a clear comprehension of the subject, and have placed them in such a position and with such a frugality of words as not to be unnecessarily obtrusive on the American who knows well his own national annals. The remaining two volumes of the work I shall publish as speedily as I can. The portion now offered to the public may, however, be considered as complete in itself, its object being to set forth the causes of the war. So abundant are the materials at the disposal of the historian of this war, that his difficulty consists, not in acquiring more, but in condensing and compressing what he has. Owing partly to the inquisitive genius of our people, which searches into the details of every thing; partly to our habit of giving publicity to national affairs, and partly to the omnipresent espionage of American journalism, the secret history of these events has been laid bare in a manner that has never occurred in the political convulsions of Europe. I desire, however, here to acknowledge the obligations I am under to officers both of the army and navy, and also to civilians in eminent stations, who have sent me important documents, and furnished me with other valuable information. I would ask for a continuance of those favors. University, Washington Square, March, 1867. JOHN WILLIAM DRAPER. CONTENT S. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. The Subject proposed, 17.-Contemporary History, 18, 19.-The three chief Acts of American Life, 20.-The Union and the Nation, 21.-Primitive Position of Virginia, 22.-Her ascendency in the Union, 23.-The North becomes dissatis-- fied, 24.-Political Force of Ideas, 25.-Anti-slavery Ideas and Relation of the Constitution to Slavery, 26.-Growth of the Slave Interest, 27.-Opposition to it in the North, 28.-Secession, 29.-Opinions of Mr. Webster and Mr. Seward, 30. -Avoidance of natural Influences, 31, 32.-Necessity of a Study of Nature, 33.- Opinion of Mr. Calhoun, 34; and of Mr. Lincoln, 35.-Plan of this work, 36, 37, TOPOGRAPHY AND METEOROLOGY OF THE REPUBLIC. American Rivers, 40, 41.—The Mississippi Valley, 42.-The Atlantic Border, 42. Basin of the West, Pacific Region, 43.-Columbia Basin, 44.-Atlantic and Pa- cific Regions, 45.-Section across the Continent, 46.—Actual Configuration of the Continent, 47.-The Rains of the United States, 48.-Rains of the Atlantic Region, 49.-Course of the great Rivers, 50.—The American Winds, 51.-Winds of Texas and the Pacific, 52.-Climate of the Mississippi Valley, 53.-Distribu- tion of Heat, 54.-Isothermal Lines, 55.—Their present Imperfections, 56.-Heat in the Pacific Region, 58.-Aspect of the Eastern States, 59.-Aspect of the Southern States, 60.-Importance of the Mississippi, 60.—Columbia River Terri- tory, 61.—The Pacific States, 62.—Political Future of the Mississippi Valley, 62. OF THE GRADUAL FORMATION OF NORTH AMERICA. The first Region of the Continent, 63.-Successive Epochs of Formation, 64.- Length of Time required, 65.-The First Age, 66.-The Second and Third Ages, 67.-Formation of Coal, 68.-Climate in those Times, 69.-The Fourth Age, 70, 71.-The Fifth Age, 72, 73.-The Sixth and present Age, 74.-Man in North America, 75.-Extinct Indians, 75, 76.—Peru the primary American Centre, 76. -Survey of the Continent, 77.-There have been gradual Successions of Climate, 78.-Those Successions of Climate have modified every living Thing, 79. viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. ON THE GENERAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE. Climate defined, 80.-Possibility of modifying Plants and Animals, 81.-The Power of gradual Disturbance, 82; and the Response of Organic Forms, 83.-Extermination and Transformation, 84.-Modifications of Indian Corn, 85.—Modifications of the Sugar-cane and Cotton, 86.-Case of the Cereal Grains, and particularly of Barley, 87.-Each Zone of Life has two Sides, 88.-All European Plants are modified, 88. CHAPTER IV. THE SPECIAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON MAN. Man changes with his Place of Residence, 89.-Effect on American Indians, 90.The Inca Indians, 91.-Influence of Race as an historical Element, 92.-January Isothermal of 41°, Type differences in America East and West, North and South, 93.-Grouping of the States, disturbing Effect of Locomotion, 94.-The same Type tends to Think and Act alike, 95.—Report of the Sanitary Commission, 96.-Death Rate in the North and South, 97.-Acclimatization in England, France, etc., 98, 99.-Contrast of Character in the North and South, 100, 101.Geographical Law of Human Character, 102.-Modifications of Men in Western America, 103. CHAPTER V. ON THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL CLIMATES BY MAN. Control by Man over Climate.-Indian and European compared, 104.-Fictitious Climates best created in the North, 105.-Effect of Varieties of Food, 106.—Effect of Clothing and Shelter, 107.-Production of Sameness in Nations, 108.— Cause of Desire for Political Unity, 108.-Incompleteness of artificial Compensations, 109.-Acclimatization of the two Sexes, 109. CHAPTER VI. ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF NATIONAL CHARACTER BY CLIMATE ZONES. Every Climate has its Type of Humanity, 110.-Political Foreknowledge-local Resemblances in the New and Old World, 111.—The Southern State Zone, July Isothermal of 77° and 84°, 113.-It is the Climate of North Africa, 114.-Resources of Carthage, 115.-Character of the People of this Zone, 116.-Behavior to Prisoners of War, 116.-Its Intellectual Capacity, 117.-The North-African Slave System, 118.-Negro Slavery in Morocco, 119.-Impolicy of Blood Contamination, 120.-Summary of this Zone, 120.-Absence of Indigenous Negroes in America, Track of the Warmth Equator, 121.-Negro Characteristics, 122.Recession of the Mediterranean, 122.-Track of the Warmth Equator in America, 123.—Metamorphosis of the Negro, 123.-Limit of Negro Life, 123.—Peculiarities of the Winter Line of 41°; Cause of the non-existence of great Men in the Southern Hemisphere, 124.—Effect of Rainless Countries, 125. SECTION II. OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION.-COLONIZATION AND DIFFUSION WESTWARD. CHAPTER VII. COLONIZATION BY FRANCE AND SPAIN. The Colonial Period, 126.—The Nations that colonized America, 127.-Spanish Colonization, 128.-Discovery of Florida, 129.—Spanish Exploring Expeditions, 130.--Cruelties to Indians, 130.-Commencement of the Slave-trade, 131.-Disturbance in the Values of Gold and Silver, 132.-Distribution of the Indian Population, 133.—Spanish Organization of Indian Labor, 134, 135.-French Colonization of America, 136.-Discovery of the Mississippi, 137.-Its Course ascertained, 138.—French Exploring Expeditions, 139.-Characteristics of Indian Polity, 140.—Centralization in Mexico, 141.-Indian Life and Individualism, 142. -Indian Civilization, 143.-Result of the French Operations in America, 144.The Anglo-French Wars, 145. CHAPTER VIII. COLONIZATION OF THE ATLANTIC COAST BY THE ENGLISH. Principles of English Colonization, 146.—The London and Plymouth Companies, 147.-Colonization of North Carolina, 147.-Settlement of Virginia, 148.-Introduction of Negro Slaves, 148.-The Tobacco Trade, 149.-Settlement of Maryland, 149.-Settlement of South Carolina, 150.-Effect of former English Civil Wars, 151.-Northern Colonization inspired by Ideas, 152.-Influence of the Reformation, 152.-Puritan Colonization, 153.—The Puritans and the Church, 154.-The Pilgrim Fathers, 155.-Colonization of Rhode Island, Roger Williams, 156.-Isothermal Zone of Puritanism, 157; corresponds to the Teutonic Zone in Europe, 157.-Extent of that Zone in Asia, 158. CHAPTER IX. TENDENCY OF THE NORTHERN COLONIES TO UNION. Influence of France on the Colonies, 159.-Franklin's Statements on the Encroachments of the French, 159; his Propositions for the Establishment of new Colonies, 160.-Desire in England to restore Canada to the French, 161.-Early Attempts to Form an American Union, 162.-The Albany Plan, 163, 164.-Life of Franklin, 165 to 168.-Services of the Royal Society, 169.-Advantages of the useful Sciences, 170. CHAPTER X. GROWTH OF THE ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS.-PROGRESS OF THE NORTHERN POPULATION TO THE MISSISSIPPI. Emigration to the line of the Mississippi, 171.—Effect of Race Intermixture, Ancestral Influence, 172.—Swedes, Spaniards, French, Dutch, 173.-Immigration to the Northern States, 174.—Machiavelli's Social Divisions, 175.-Relative Influence of his three Grades, 176.-Effect of Emigration on the Atlantic States, 177. -Rate of Western Diffusion, 178.-Rural Economy of the North, 179.-The Northwest Territory, 180.-Ordinance of 1787, 181.-Impression made by Irish Immigrants, 182; and by the German, 183.-Slavery in New England, 184.Slavery among the Puritans, 185 to 188.—Anti-slavery Clause in the Declaration of Independence, 189. |
