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150

THE OLD FRENCH WAR.

PT. II. and, for ten years, he gave his disinterested services, without claiming so much as a cottage or a farm.

P'D. III.
CH. II.

Whit

the two

13. The eloquent Whitfield, with the two Wesleys, the three founders of the sect of Methodists, sympafield and thized with Oglethorpe in his benevolence; and each Wes spent some time in America, assisting him in his enleys. terprise. Whitfield founded, near Savannah, a house for orphans. In 1752, the Trustees, wearied with a troublesome and profitless charge, resigned their office, Georgia. and Georgia became a royal province.

Trustees of

14. Louisiana, after having been for fourteen years, under a company of avaricious speculators, formed at Paris, reverted to the French monarch; and Bienville was appointed governor. He found the Chickasaws very troublesome, as they favored the English, rather 1932. than the French. The Natchez, under their influence, The had committed murders, for which the whites had de- wholly destroyed them. Bienville ascended the Tomstroyed. becbee to attack the Chickasaws. He was to be aided

Natchez

The

Chicka- by a French army from the Illinois. saws de- and the Chickasaws destroyed them.

stroy a

They came first, When Bienville French arrived, he found the Indians more than a match for army. his force, and immediately retired down the stream.

CHAPTER II.

Old French War.-Capture of Louisburg.-French and English claims to the Basin of the Mississippi.

1. IN 1744, war was again proclaimed between England and France. Louisburg, the capital of the island of Cape Breton, had been fortified with great care and expense, and was called, from its strength, the Dunkirk of America; while, from its position, it com

13. What eminent ministers of the gospel were with him? What change was made in 1752 ?—14. Ünder whom had Louisiana been? To whom did it revert? Whom did he appoint? Give an account of the attack upon the Chickasaws, and its result.

CHAPTER II.-1. In what year was the "Old French War? What can you say of Louisburg?

PEACE OF AIX LA CHAPELLE.

151

manded the navigation of the St. Lawrence, and the PT. II. fisheries of the adjoining seas.

P'D. III.

betrayed

2. Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, now medi- CH. II. tated an attack on this fortress. He laid open his designs to the general court of the colony, under an oath of secrecy. The plan being thought too great, too A secret hazardous, and too expensive, it was apparently abandoned; but an honest member, who performed the family devotions at his lodgings, inadvertently discovered the secret, by praying for the divine blessing on the attempt.

Forces

com

3. The people approving the project, with which they became thus accidentally acquainted, were clamorous in its support. It was revived by the court, and after a long deliberation, the vote in its favor was car- 1745. ried by a single voice. Troops were immediately raised by Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, manded to aid those of Massachusetts. The command of these Pepperforces was given to Colonel William Pepperell, a merchant of Maine, who sailed on the 25th of March, and arrived at Casco on the 4th of April.

4. A British naval force, under Admiral Warren, having been applied to, joined the armament; and the whole arrived at Chapeau Rouge Bay, on the 30th of April. By a series of the most unprecedented good luck, and by almost incredible exertions, the fortress was taken, and with it the whole island of Cape Breton.

by Col.

ell.

From

April 30,

to June

16, a

great

feat.

Aix la

5. Peace was proclaimed in 1748, and a treaty, signed at Aix la Chapelle, by commissioners from Enggland, France, and Spain, the basis of which was the 1748. mutual restoration of all places taken during the war: Peace of and Louisburg, to the grief and mortification of the Chapelle. colonies, reverted to the French. Its capture, had, however, done credit to their military prowess; as it had been, by far, the most brilliant exploit of the entire

war.

2. What plan was formed by Governor Shirley? What did he in reference to it? How did the general court receive it? How did it come to the knowledge of the people? 3. What did they think of it? What was finally done by the court? From what states was an army raised? Who commanded?-4. What naval force joined them? What was the result of the combined effort?-5. On what basis was peace made at Aix la Chapelle ?

152

CONFLICTING CLAIMS.

P'D. III.

P'T. II. 6. The blood and treasure of the many, had again been spent without result, and peace was concluded CH. II. without a proper settlement of differences. This was Did not especially the case in regard to the American claims of the contracting powers.

settle

differences.

Extent of

as stated

French

7. The French laid claim to all the lands occupied by the waters flowing into the St. Lawrence and the New Lakes; and all watered by the Mississippi and its France, branches; and, in the west, and on the north, they by were erecting fortresses, with an intent to unite and command the whole of this vast territory. phers. 8. The British, on the other hand, asserted a right to the entire country, as may be seen by their early claim the patents, to which they gave an extension from the same ter- Atlantic to the Pacific. These conflicting claims, it ritory. was clearly foreseen, must soon lead to another war.

geogra

British

9. A number of gentlemen, mostly in Virginia, of whom Lawrence Washington was one, procured in 1750. 1650, an act of the British parliament, constituting company them "the Ohio Company," and granting them six formed. hundred thousand acres of land, on, or near, the Ohio

Ohio

river. They caused the tract to be surveyed, and opened a trade with the Indians in the vicinity.

10. This becoming known to the French, the govHostile ernor of Canada complained to the authorities of New measures York and Pennsylvania, threatening to seize their traFrench. ders, if they did not quit the territory. Several of

of the

Dinwid

die

their number were accordingly taken, and carried to the French fort at Presque Isle.

11. Dinwiddie, the governor of Virginia, alarmed Gov. at these movements on the part of the French, had sent a trader among them as a spy, who returning, inalarmed, creased his fears, by vague accounts of the French posts near Lake Erie, without gratifying his curiosity as to the number or object of their forces.

6. Were these subjects of differences remaining unsettled? 7. What part of America was claimed by France? What were they doing to unite and command this territory?-8. What was claimed by the British? Was there any prospect of a peaceable settlement of these differences?-9. Who were the Ohio Company? What grant had they? What did they do in reference to it?-10. What course did the French take?-11. Who was governor of Virginia? What report was brought to him?

THE CHILD WASHINGTON.

153

12. Dinwiddie determined, although the season was P’T. II. advanced, to send immediately a trusty person, to P'D. III. require the French Commandant to quit the territory; CH. 11. and also to bring such an account of his strength and 1752. position, that if he refused peaceably to retreat, some He feasible method of ejectment might be adopted. A Washyoung man of twenty-two, an officer of the militia, ington was chosen. His figure was commanding, his air in-ficult spired respect and confidence. His name was GEORGE duty. WASHINGTON.

selects

for a dif

CHAPTER III.

George Washington-His birth, parentage, and education-His conduct in places of trust, private, and public.

Law

1. We have already mentioned Colonel John Washington. Lawrence Washington was his son; Augus- John, tine Washington, his. He, who is now regarded as the rence, Father of his Country, was the son of Augustine Augus tine, and Washington. He was born on the 22d of February, GEORGE 1732, in Westmoreland county, Virginia. In 1734, his father removed to Stafford county, opposite to 1732. Fredericksburg, on the Rappahannock; little thinking that his playful boy, then but two years old, was marked by Providence for a career so elevated.

WASH

INGTON.

His

2. In 1743, Augustine Washington died, and left to each of his sons valuable landed estates. To Lawrence, his eldest, he bequeathed the beautiful tract on 1743. the bank of the Potomac; and to George, the lands father and mansion where he died. George was the oldest dies. offspring of a second marriage, and his excellent mother, Mary Washington, was, by his father's will, his

12. What plan did he adopt? Who was chosen?

CHAPTER III.-1. What was the name of George Washington's father? His grandfather? His great-grandfather? When and where was he born? How old was he when his father removed to Stafford county ?-2. What occurred on the death of his father? How old was George? Who was his guardian?

154

P'D. III.

THE BOY, TO BOYS AN EXAMPLE.

PT. II. sole guardian. It was under her maternal guidance, and in the common school, that Washington developed CH. II. those physical, intellectual, and moral elements, which formed his greatness.

His early

charac

ter.

3. When in school he was pains-taking, and exact moral in the performance of his exercises; and he was, at the same time, so true in his words, so righteous in his actions, and so just in his judgments, that his school-mates were wont to bring their differences before him for decision. Superior also in bodily health, and vigor, he excelled in athletic sports, and adventurous exploits. He loved the military; and tradition reports, that the first battles, in which he commanded, were the mimic engagements, which he taught to his school-fellows.

His

activity.

4. He learned to read and to write well; and he thoroughly mastered arithmetic. This was all, which the school helped him to acquire. Of himself he practiced composition; and he happily formed a style suited Limited to the lofty tone of his moral sentiments, and the ditages rectness and energy of his character. The higher anced by mathematics he learned with pleasure and mental profit; self-exer- his object being to prepare himself for the occupation tion. of surveyor. He set carefully down in his books, his

advan

over-bal

A sur

diagrams, his observations on manners, and his rules of behaviour. Nothing was too laborious, or too tedious for his determined mind.

1748. 5. To survey the great estates of Lord Fairfax, then residing in Virginia, he first began his career of active ayong life. Though a boy of just sixteen, he was intrusted the with what would have been an arduous and difficult tains. duty, to a sound and able man. Among the forest wilds of the Alleghanies, the young surveyor fre

noun

2. What were his advantages?-3. What was his character as a school boy? 4. What did he learn in school? What important exercise did he practice by himself? Did he early fix upon something which he could follow, to obtain an honorable support? What did he learn, in order to prepare himself for his chosen occupation? What did he do, that he might retain, and be the wiser for what he had learned? Did he not find such labor too tedious?-5. Was he trusted with important business when young? By whom? What business was it? Where did he practise his profession?

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