was said in this treaty, however, about the real causes of the war.1

News then traveled very slowly between Europe and America. Neither Jackson nor Pakenham knew of the peace when they fought the decisive battle of New Orleans, two weeks after the treaty was signed. Ever since that memorable struggle in Louisiana, the people of Great Britain and the United States have been at peace. Of late years they have become the firmest of friends, which certainly should always be the case between these two great divisions of English-speaking folk.

250. What the war accomplished. War is a crude, costly, and cruel method of settling disputes between nations, and whenever possible it should be avoided. Still, this unfortunate conflict did result in several benefits to the Union:

(a) The Republic had displayed its ability, especially on the sea, to defend itself and to enforce its rights. Until a nation can do this, it cannot be sure of peace.

(b) The stoppage of importation from Europe had led to the establishment among us of a large number of "native industries," especially in New England.

(c) When the war began most Americans still thought of the Union as a mere confederation of independent States. But the brilliant victories of Federal soldiers and sailors, together with the rapid settlement of the West, greatly increased our national pride. Men now saw that the Union had ceased to be an experiment. It had grown to be a strong and enduring nation.

251. The protective tariff of 1816. One of the results of the war was to reopen our commerce with Europe, which had been stopped by the Non-Intercourse Act. American manufacturers saw with dismay that goods made in foreign

1 But after the peace, the British ceased to search our vessels and impress our seamen, so that this one question was no longer important.

2 News of this battle reached Washington on February 4, about a week before the Federal officials had tidings of the proceedings at Ghent. The British fleet also long remained uninformed of the close of the war; for on February II, a month after the victory at New Orleans, it captured an American post on Mobile Bay.

countries, where labor was much cheaper than in the United States, were now coming to our ports in vast quantities and being offered at lower prices than they could afford to sell American products. Congress yielded to their wishes, and passed the tariff of 1816, which imposed much higher duties than before. It was the first really protective tariff that the United States had enacted.

252. The National Road. The introduction of the steamboat, in Jefferson's Administration, had done much to cement the bond between the States. This great invention made it easier for people of different sections to travel about and get acquainted, and therefore friendly, with each other. Another great aid to travel was the broad and wellmade National, or Cumberland, Road, which was built by Congress to facilitate commerce by land. It was commenced at Cumberland, Maryland, in 1811, and led westward, partly by way of General Braddock's old military road, over the Allegheny Mountains to the Ohio River, which it reached at Wheeling, West Virginia.

Gaudily painted stage-coaches, drawn by fast horses which were often changed, rolled frequently along the smooth surface of this highway. Their passengers put up for the night at log taverns, where food was coarse and often scarce, and sleeping-room likely to be at a premium. The majority of the West-going settlers, however, who brought with them their families, household goods, and live stock, traveled in great canvas-covered wagons, laboriously hauled by long teams of mules. On arriving at the Ohio River, steamboats took the "movers movers" to their new homes along the banks of that and other Western streams. Gradually Congress extended the National Road still farther westward. Passing through Columbus, Indianapolis, and many other frontier settlements that now are flourishing cities, it finally reached Illinois in 1838. There it stopped, after having cost the nation $6,800,000, for by that time railroads had been introduced, and most travelers preferred this quicker and easier way of reaching the West.

QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

1. What forces are at work to-day which might have prevented the War of 1812?

2. "Don't give up the ship" has become a motto in America. What historic event does it recall?

3. What is the meaning of the word "vandalism"? Why do the authors say that no civilized army to-day would be guilty of such conduct? 4. Locate the scenes of the campaign of 1814-15.

5. Learn the words and music of The Star-Spangled Banner. During the playing of this music, soldiers and sailors are required to stand at attention." All audiences should show the same respect for the flag. When the national colors are passing on parade, spectators should, if walking, halt; or if sitting, rise, the men and boys removing their hats.

6. Give reasons why England and America especially should be friends. 7. Make an outline of the War of 1812, under these headings:

Important Events

Leaders

Results

8. Bring to the class pictures contrasting land transportation of the early nineteenth century with that of the early twentieth century.

9. Trace on a map the National Road. Why was it important in the early nineteenth century? Why did the Government discontinue its building? 10. Make an outline of the chapter.

COMPOSITION SUBJECTS

1. Imagine that you are an American sailor impressed into service on a British man-of-war. You smuggle home a letter telling of your impressment, the cruelty of your treatment, your plans for escape.

2. Imagine that when young you served with Lawrence on the Chesapeake and you are telling your grandchildren of his death.

3. Imagine that you were Perry's brother. Relate your experience in the Battle of Lake Erie.

4. Imagine that you were an American official in the White House when the news of the British attack is received. Picture Dolly Madison's presence of mind in the midst of the confusion.

CHAPTER XXIV

MONROE'S ADMINISTRATION: THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE 1817-1825

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253. The Era of Good Feelings. In March, 1817, James Monroe became President. As soon as summer arrived, he made a long tour through the Northern States, urging his fellow citizens to cease their old-time sectional jealousies

and party quarrels, and to work together for the welfare of the country. Only in this way, said the President, could the nation. grow great and strong. Everywhere the people greeted with enthusiasm the popular war veteran, who continued to wear the Revolutionary uniform, and they came in great throngs to clasp his hands. The political party to which he belonged, the Democratic, had brought on the War of 1812, and this had greatly angered the New Englanders, for it had seriously injured their shipping interests. Nevertheless, they warmly welcomed him as a messenger of peace. One Boston newspaper said," Party feeling and animosities have been laid aside, and one great national feeling has animated every

JAMES MONROE

1 Monroe was born in Virginia in 1758. When the Revolution broke out, he was a student in William and Mary College, but left school to become a lieutenant in a Virginia regiment. At Trenton he led the advance guard. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth, and became a lieutenantcolonel. After serving in the Virginia Assembly, the Confederation Congress, and the Federal Senate, he was minister to France and Great Britain, governor of his State, and a member of President Madison's Cabinet. He died in New York City in 1831.

class of our citizens." Another Boston paper called it the "Era of Good Feelings," and by that happy name Monroe's Administration has ever since been known.

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254. The Florida Purchase. However, the President was not only a peacemaker; he could act with vigor when there was need for it. The Spanish Province of Florida 1 was the home of smugglers, pirates, and other lawless classes, including unruly Seminole Indians and runaway negro slaves. These people, who lived in the midst of great swamps and dense forests, frequently made raids against American settlements lying to the north of them, to plunder and murder. Monroe determined to put a stop to this, and in 1818 he sent General Jackson to punish any raiders whom he found within our territory. That experienced Indian fighter did not stop at the Florida boundary, but marching southward chased the offenders out of their hiding places and punished them without mercy.

Spain was, of course, much annoyed at having her soil invaded by our troops, but deemed it unwise to quarrel with us about it; so, to avoid further trouble, she sold the province to the United States, in 1819, for $5,000,000. In this way there were added to our possessions, at a cost of about eleven cents an acre, seventy-one thousand square miles, a region about fourteen times the size of Connecticut.2 The Florida Purchase was our second step in national expansion; our first was, it will be remembered, the Louisiana Purchase.

255. Westward migration. Immediately after the Treaty of Ghent migration into the West increased more rapidly than ever before. A traveler on the National Road wrote in 1817: "Old America seems to be breaking up and moving westward; we are seldom out of sight, as we travel on this grand track towards the Ohio, of family groups behind and before

1 There were two Spanish provinces, East Florida and West Florida. We commonly refer to them collectively, however, as Florida.

2 Two other agreements were made with Spain, at this time: First, she abandoned all of her claims to the Oregon region, which we were coveting; second, we abandoned our claim to what afterwards was called Texas, a country which before this we had thought was a part of our Louisiana Purchase.