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CHAPTER XXII

From the Commencement of the American War, to the Recognition of the Independence of the United States.

To describe in chronological order, even a limited portion of the momentous events of the period to which we are now approaching, would be impossible in an outbe impossible in an outline sketch of GENERAL HISTORY. We have, therefore, compiled a special sketch of AMERICAN HISTORY which the busy man will find invaluable, as it is written in chroinvaluable, as it is written in chronological order.

The first great event, then, which in this place demands our attention is the American war. Our notice of it here, as a matter of course, will be most brief and cur- , will be most brief and cursory. Among the earliest settlers in North America were many who emigrated from Great Britain on account of civil or religious persecution-men, who being of Repubpersecution-men, who being of Republican principles, and jealous of the smallest encroachments of their rights, naturally inencroachments of their rights, naturally instilled those principles into the minds of their children; and thus laid the foundation of that spirit of resistance to arbitrary acts of power, which kindled the flames of war between the mother country and the colonies, and ended in the establishment of a powerful republic. The constitution of the American colonies bore the original impress of liberty. Under the protection of great Britain, North America stood in fear of no foreign enemy; and the consciousness of her native strength was already too great to permit her to feel much apprehension even of her mother country. Religion was everywhere free from restraint; agriculture was held in honor; and peace and order were protected against the attempts of parties, and wild and lawless men. The peowild and lawless men. The people, like the country they inhabited, appeared to be in the full vigor of youth ardent, independent, and capable of astonishing exertions when aroused by the stimulus of the passions.