In preparing this sketch of the American colonies, I have had friendly encouragement and assistance from a number of men whose knowledge of the subject as a whole, or of certain aspects of it, is far more extensive and accurate than my own. I am particularly indebted to my colleagues in the University of Kansas, Professor F.H. Hodder and Professor W.W. Davis, who have read and criticized the manuscript chapter by chapter. The editor of the series has not only read the manuscript, but has put me in the way of much valuable material which I should otherwise have missed. Professor G.S. Ford and Professor Wallace Notestein, of the University of Minnesota, and Professor F.J. Turner, of Harvard University, have read portions of the manuscript. These good friends have saved me many minor errors and some serious blunders; and their cautions and suggestions have often enabled me to improve the work in form and arrangement, and in relative emphasis. CARL BECKER. CONTENTS I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW 1 II. THE PARTITION OF THE NEW WORLD 30 III. THE ENGLISH MIGRATION IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY 65 IV. ENGLAND AND HER COLONIES IN THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES 125 V. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY 161 VI. THE WINNING OF INDEPENDENCE 202 GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY 277 INDEX i MAPS _Facing_ SCHOeNER'S GLOBE, WITH MAGELLAN'S ROUTE AND DEMARCATION LINE; DRAWN 1523 28 AREAS SETTLED BY 1660, AND BETWEEN 1660 AND 1700 134 GROWTH OF ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS, 1700-1760 178 AREA OF GERMAN SETTLEMENTS AND FRONTIER LINE IN 1775 180 AREA OF SETTLEMENT IN 1774; BOUNDARY PROPOSED BY SPAIN IN 1782; BOUNDARY SECURED BY TREATY OF 1783; AND SETTLEMENTS WEST OF ALLEGHANIES IN 1783 272 BEGINNINGS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CHAPTER I THE DISCOVERY OF THE OLD WORLD AND THE NEW _We come in search of Christians and spices._ VASCO DA GAMA. _Gold is excellent; gold is treasure, and he that possesses it does all that he wishes to in this world, and succeeds in helping souls into paradise._ CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. I