Q. At what place was the first settlement made?

A. At Savannah.

Q. How is Savannah situated ?-(See map of the United States.)
Q. What is said of this colony?

A. It was long before this colony became flourishing, owing to the system of government established. In 1752 they surrendered their charter to the king; but it was not until 1763 that the province began to prosper.

Q. Were the early settlers of America inattentive to the interests of literature?

A. They were not. Many of them were men of learning, and, next to their religious liberty, they seemed to prize their literary institutions.

Q. When and where was laid the foundation of Harvard University, the oldest seminary of learning in the United States?

A. In 1638, at Newtown, now Cambridge.

Q. Why was Newtown called Cambridge?

A. Out of respect to the University of England, where many of the emigrants were educated.

Q. What duty of parents was early recognized in the colonies?

A. The education of children was considered the indispensable duty of parents and masters.

Q. When was William and Mary College founded in Virginia?

A. In 1693.

Q. When and where was Yale College founded?

A. In 1700, at Saybrook, in Connecticut.

Q. When was it removed to New-Haven?

A. Sixteen years after it was founded.

Q. When and where was Dartmouth College established?

A. In 1769, in the town of Hanover, New-Hampshire. Q. What other colleges were established before the revolution?

A. A college was founded in New-Jersey, at Princeton, in 1738; another at New-Brunswick, in 1746; Columbia College, at New-York, in 1754; and Providence College, in Rhode-Island, in 1764.

CHAPTER V.

GEORGE WASHINGTON-DEFEAT OF BRADDOCK

CONQUEST OF CANADA, &c.

Q. Where had the French made settlements?

A. In Canada, Nova Scotia, and in Louisiana, on the Mississippi river.

Q. What occurred from 1702 to 1713?

A. Frequent inroads were made by the French and Indians, villages burned, the inhabitants plundered and inhumanly murdered, or dragged into captivity in the wilderness. Q. Did the colonies endeavor to expel the French from Canada and Nova Scotia?

A. They did.

Q. Did France endeavor to connect these distant possessions?

A. She did.

Q. In what manner?

A. By erecting forts along the Ohio and the lakes.

Q. What took place between the Ohio Company and the French traders, in the vicinity of the Ohio river? A. Frequent disputes.

Q. What did the governor of Virginia do?

A. He sent Washington, then a youth of 21 years of age, with a letter to the French commander on the Ohio, demanding the reasons of his hostile conduct.

Q. What was the distance, and how did Washington travel?

A. The distance was 400 miles, 200 of which was through a wilderness, inhabited by hostile savages. On the way, his horse failed; he then proceeded on foot, with but one companion, a musket in his hand, and a pack on his back. He reached the French fort, gave the letter to the commander, and returned in safety.

Q. When did Washington deliver the reply of the French commander to the governor of Virginia?

A. In January, 1754.

Q. Was the reply of the French commander satisfactory? A. It was not.

Q. What was the consequence?

A. A regiment was organized in Virginia, to support the claims of Great Britain.

Q. Who had the command of this regiment?

A. Mr. Fry was appointed colonel, and Washington lieutenant-colonel; but Mr. Fry soon dying, the command devolved upon Washington.

Q. Whither did Washington proceed with his regiment? A. He marched forward to attack fort Duquesne, now Pittsburg.

Q. Did he march as far as fort Duquesne?

A. No: before he reached it, he was informed that it had been strongly reinforced, and, therefore, he deemed it prudent to fall back, and make a stand at a fort which he had recently thrown up.

Q. By whom was he attacked at this place?

A. By De Villier.

Q. What was the result of the attack?

A. Washington and his men made a brave resistance, but, owing to the superior strength of the French, he was obliged to capitulate.

Q. What is the meaning of capitulate?

Q. When did this occur?

A. July 4th, 1754.

Q. For what is the next year, 1755, memorable?

A. For the defeat of Braddock.

Q. What is said of Gen. Braddock?

A. He had been sent from Ireland to Virginia, to command the British troops. He was brave, but imprudent; despising the advice of Washington, who acted as his aidde-camp, he rushed forward to attack fort Du Quesne, till he was suddenly attacked by a body of French and Indians, within seven miles of the fort.

Q. What ensued?

A. A total defeat; in which Braddock was mortally wounded, after having five horses killed under him. Q. What is said of Washington!

A. He had two horses shot under him, and four bullets passed through his coat, yet he escaped unhurt.

Q. When and where was Washington born?

A. He was born on the 22d of February, 1732, in the county of Westmoreland, in Virginia.

Q. What followed the defeat of Braddock?

A. It was followed by the expedition of Gov. Shirley, of Massachusetts, which was equally unsuccessful; and Oswego was taken by the French, under General Montcalm. Q. Did the French continue successful?

A. No: in 1759 the British were everywhere successful, Niagara was. taken by Sir William Johnson, and Quebec by General Wolfe, who fell in the moment of victory.

Q. What is said of Wolfe, when in the agonies of death? A. He heard a voice cry "they run;" he asked "who run?" and being told the French, he replied "I die happy," and immediately expired.

Q. Was the whole province of Canada reduced the following year?

A. It was.

Q. How long did the French and Indian war rage?
A. About eight years.

Q. In what year was a general peace concluded?
A. In 1763.

CHAPTER VI.

CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Q. What were the immediate causes of the American Revolution?

A. The attempts of the British government to encroach upon the rights of the colonies, and particularly to raise a revenue in America without her consent.

Q. When was the celebrated stamp act passed?

A. In 1765.

Q. What was the stamp act?

A. An act by which the Americans were compelled to use stamped paper for all notes, bonds, and other legal instruments, on which paper a duty was to be paid.

Q. How was it received?

A. It gave great offence, and raised the spirit of opposi tion to the highest degree.

Q. How was the use of stamped paper avoided?

A. The courts of justice were shut up, and people settled their disputes by arbitration.

Q. What is the meaning of arbitration?

Q. What associations were formed?

A. Associations were formed against importing or using British goods.

Q. Was the stamp act repealed?

A. So great was the opposition, that it was repealed the following year, 1766.

Q. What duty was imposed the next year, 1767 ?

A. A duty was laid on tea, glass, paper, and many other articles used by the Americans.

Q. Did these duties increase the flame of opposition in the Americans?

A. They did, to such a degree that in 1770 a parliamentary repeal took place on all articles, except three pence per pound on tea.

Q. What is the meaning of repeal?

Q. How did the people of Boston express their resentment of the duty on tea, in 1773 ?

A. They employed some persons, dressed in disguise, to go on board the ships, and throw the tea overboard.

Q. How was this conduct received by the British parliament?

A. It enkindled their resentment to such a degree that they shut the port of Boston, and ruined the trade of that flourishing town.

Q. When and where was the first continental congress convened?

A. In September, 1774, at Philadelphia.

Q. Who was the president of this congress?

A. Peyton Randolph, of Virginia.

Q. What was the result of this congress?

A. They agreed on a declaration of their rights, and a statement of their grievances; and entered into a non-importation, non-consumption, and non-exportation agreement.