 |
| "'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!" |
HERO STORIES
FROM AMERICAN HISTORY
ALBERT F. BLAISDELL
"THE STORY OF AMERICANHISTORY," ETC., ETC.
FRANCIS K. BALL
BOSTON · NEW YORK · CHICAGO · LONDON
ATLANTA · DALLAS · COLUMBUS · SAN FRANCISCO
ALBERT F. BLAISDELL AND FRANCIS K. BALL
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
GINN AND COMPANY · PRO-
PRIETORS · BOSTON · U.S.A.
Edwin Ginn
FINANCIER EDUCATOR
PHILANTHROPIST
PREFACE
This book is intended to be used as a supplementary historical readerfor the sixth and seventh grades of our public schools, or for anyother pupils from twelve to fifteen years of age. It is also designedfor collateral reading in connection with the study of a formaltext-book on American history.
The period here included is the first fifty years of our nationallife. No attempt has been made, however, to present a connectedaccount, or to furnish a bird's-eye view, of this half century.
It is the universal testimony of experienced teachers that suchmaterials as are pervaded with reality serve a useful purpose withyoung pupils. The reason is plain. Historical matter that is instinctwith human life attracts and holds the attention of boys and girls,and whets their desire to know more of the real meaning of theircountry's history. For this reason the authors have selected rapidhistorical narratives, treating of notable and dramatic events, andhave embellished them with more details than is feasible within thelimits of most school-books. Free use has been made of personalincidents and anecdotes, which thrill us because of their