With this conviction, it has been the author's desire to make the story of the events concrete, dramatic, and lifelike by centring them about leaders, heroes, and other representative men, in such a way as to appeal to the imagination and to influence the ideals of the child. In so doing, he has made no attempt to write organized history--tracing out its intricate relations of cause and effect. At the same time, however, he has aimed to select his facts and events so carefully that the spirit of our national life and institutions, as well as many of the typical events of American history, may be presented. It is confidently hoped that the fine illustrations and the attractive typographical features of the book will help to bring vividly before the mind of the child the events narrated in the text. Another aid in making the stories vivid will, it is intended, be found in "Some Things to Think About." These and many similar questions, which the teacher can easily frame to fit the needs of her class, will help the pupil to make real the life of days gone by as well as to connect it with the present time and with his own life. In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge my deep obligations to Mr. Forrest Morgan, of the Watkinson Library, Hartford, and to Miss Elizabeth P. Peck, of the Hartford Public High School, both of whom have read the manuscript and have made many valuable criticisms and suggestions. WILBUR F. GORDY. HARTFORD, CONN., April 15, 1915. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. PATRICK HENRY II. SAMUEL ADAMS III. THE WAR BEGINS NEAR BOSTON IV. GEORGE WASHINGTON IN THE REVOLUTION V. NATHANAEL GREENE AND OTHER HEROES IN THE SOUTH VI. JOHN PAUL JONES VII. DANIEL BOONE VIII. JAMES ROBERTSON IX. JOHN SEVIER X. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK XI. THE NEW REPUBLIC XII. INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE NEW REPUBLIC XIII. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS XIV. THE REPUBLIC GROWS LARGER XV. THREE GREAT STATESMEN XVI. THE CIVIL WAR XVII. FOUR GREAT INDUSTRIES INDEX ILLUSTRATIONS