The Busy Man's Hand-Book

Historical, geographical, scriptural, scientific, legal, social, mercantile and medical information, condensed into one volume for someone with no time to look further.

Outline History of America

16 pages in this part of The Busy Man's Hand-Book.

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference

1492-It is generally admitted that previously to the time of Columbus, Europeans had visited America. The Scandinavians, it is claimed, had…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Florida

His son, Sebastian, the same year that Columbus discovered the mainland, discovered Newfoundland, and sailed as far south as Chesapeake…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Mississippi

Leaving Havanna May 12, 1539, he reached Espiritu Santo Florida on the 25th, and formally took possession of the country in behalf of the…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: English

The Plymouth Company sent out a colony the same year, 1607. It settled at the mouth of the Kennebec, Maine, but owing to the severity of…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Dutch

Henry Hudson, an English navigator in the Dutch service, in 1609, in the hope of reaching the Pacific ocean, entered New York harbor and…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Massachusetts

In 1692, Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony united under the name of Massachusetts. 1622.-A bloody Indian massacre occurred on March 22…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Maryland

In 1634 the first settlement was made at St. Mary's, near the mouth of the Potomac. The charter gave the freemen a voice in making the…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Cornwallis

The militia retreated, but the Continentals only fell back to secure a better position. The British having mistaken this backward movement…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Sept

When Lord North, (the Prime Minister,) November 25, 1781, heard the intelligence, he arose, and exclaimed with a look of the deepest…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Jefferson

He defeated his rival Thomas Jefferson by only two electoral votes. 1799-George Washington died at his home, Mount Vernon, Va., after a…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Texas

The announcement in Washington of Polk's nomination in Baltimore was the first news ever sent by telegraph. 1845-In September the Mormons…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Taylor

The Mexicans, under General Aristá, numbering eight thousand men, or about three times the American force, attacked Taylor on the plains of…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Scott

Anna. 1847-April 18, General Scott won the battle of Cerro Gordo, defeating Santa 1847-August 20, General Scott captured Contreras, within…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Grant

The undergrowth bushwood took fire, and most of the wounded were burned to death. Grant lost twenty thousand men, and Lee ten thousand. It…

Written Expressly for Rapid Reference: Secretary

Eleven men were indicted for the murder. A verdict of acquittal was found for six; and a mistrial was entered for three…

January, 1861

9-When South Carolina determined to secede from the Union Major Anderson was in command of the Federal garrison in Charleston harbor…

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