and deacons took their seats in front of the preacher's desk, facing the congregation. The old men, the young men, and the young women each had their separate place. The boys were perched on the pulpit-stair or in the galleries, and were kept in order by a constable. The light came straggling through the little diamond-shaped window-panes, weirdly gilding the wolf-heads which hung upon the walls-trophies of the year's conquests. The services began with the long prayer, and was followed by reading and expounding of the Scriptures, a psalm-lined by one of the ruling elders-and the sermon. Instrumental music was absolutely proscribed, as condemned by Amos v. 23. The sermon was often three or four hours long, and at the end of each hour the sexton turned the hour-glass which stood upon the desk. Woe to the youngster whose eyelids drooped in slumber! The ever-vigilant constables, with their wands tipped on one extremity with the foot, and on the other with the tail of a hare, brought the heavier end down on the nodding head. The care-worn matron who was betrayed into a like offense, was gently reminded of her duty by a touch on the forehead with the softer end of the same stick. After the sermon, came the weekly contribution; the congregation, marching to the front, and depositing their offerings in the money-box held by one of the elders. After dismissal, the people returned home in as orderly a way as they came. The Middle Colonies. The manners of the New York people were essentially Dutch. Many customs then inaugurated still remain in vogue. Among these is that of New Year's Day visiting, of which General Washington said, "New York will in process of years gradually change its ancient customs and manners, but whatever changes take place, never forget the cordial observance of New Year's Day." To the Dutch we owe our Christmas visit of Santa Claus, colored eggs at Easter, doughnuts, crullers, and New Year's cookies. The Dutch mansion was built, usually, of brick. Its gable-end, receding in regular steps from the base of the roof to the summit, faced the street. The front-door was decorated with a huge brass knocker, burnished daily. While the Connecticut mistress spun, wove, and stored her household linens in crowded chests, the Dutch matron scrubbed and scoured her polished floor and wood-work. Every family had a cow that fed in a common pasture at the end of the town, and their tinkling bells, as they came and went, of their own accord, at night and morning, proclaimed the milking-hour. The happy burghers breakfasted at dawn, dined at eleven, and retired at sunset. On dark evenings, as a protection for belated wanderers, lighted candles were placed in the front windows. Along the Hudson, the great patroons, supported by their immense estates and crowds of tenants, kept up the customs of the best European society of the day. Philadelphia was not only the largest city in the United States, but it was famous for its flagged side-walks-then a rare luxury in any city, the regularity of its streets, and the elegance of its brick and stone residences. The trees bordering the carriage-ways and the gardens and orchards about the houses made it just such a fair greene country town" as Penn wished it to be. 66 The Southern Colonists differed widely from the Northern in habits and style of living. In place of thickly-settled towns and villages, they had large plantations, and were surrounded by a numerous household of servants. The negro quarters formed a hamlet apart, with its gardens and poultry yards. An estate in those days was a little empire. The planter had among his slaves men of every trade, and they made most of the articles needed for common use upon the plantation. There were large sheds for curing tobacco, and mills for grinding corn and wheat. The tobacco was put up and consigned directly to England. The flour of the Mount Vernon estate was packed under the eye of Washington himself, and we are told that barrels of flour bearing his brand, passed in the West India market without inspection. Up the Ashley and the Cooper, there were remains of the only bona fide nobility ever established on our soil. There the descendants of the landgraves, who received their titles in accordance with the Grand Model (p. 75), occupied their manorial dwellings. Along the banks of the James and the Rappahannock, the plantation often passed from father to son, according to the law of entail. The heads of these great Southern families lived like lords, keeping their packs of choice hunting dogs, and their stables of blooded horses, and rolling to church or town in their coach and six, with outriders on horseback. Their spacious mansions were sometimes built of imported brick. Within, the grand staircases, the mantels, and the wainscot reaching in a quaint fashion from floor to ceiling, were of solid mahogany, elaborately carved and paneled. The sideboards shone with gold and silver plate, and the tables were loaded with the luxuries of the old world. Negro servants thronged about, ready to perform every task. All labor was done by slaves, it being considered degrading for a white man to work. Even the superintendence of the plantation and slaves was generally committed to overseers, while the master dispensed a generous hospitality, and occupied himself with social and political life. Education.-1. The Eastern Colonies.-Next to their religion, the Puritans prized education. When Boston was but six years old, $2,000 were appropriated to the seminary at Cambridge, now known as Harvard University. Some years after, each family gave a peck of corn or a shilling in cash for its support. Common schools had already been provided, and in 1647, every town was ordered to have a free school, and, if it contained over one hundred families, a grammar school. In Connecticut, any town that did not keep a school for three months in the year was liable to a fine. In 1700, ten ministers, having previously so agreed, brought together a number of books, each saying as he laid down his gift, "I give these books for founding a college in Connecticut." This was the beginning of Yale College-named from Governor Yale, who befriended it most generously. It was first established at Saybrook, but in 1716 was removed to New Haven. The "town-meetings ", as they were styled, were of inestimable value in cultivating democratic ideas. The young and old, rich and poor, here met on a perfect equality for the discussion of all local questions. In Hartford, every freeman who neglected to attend the town-meeting was fined sixpence, unless he had a good excuse. 2. The Middle Colonies already had many schools scattered through the towns. In New York, during the Dutch period, it was customary for the school-master, in order to increase his earnings, to ring the church-bell, dig graves, and act as chorister and town-clerk. In the English period, some of the schools were kept by Dutch masters, who taught English as an accomplishment. As early as 1702, an act was passed for the "Encouragement of a Grammar Free School in the City of New York". In 1795, George Clinton laid the foundation of the common-school system of the State, and within three years nearly 60,000 children were receiving instruction. At Lewiston, Del., is said to have been established the first girls' school in the colonies. The first school in Pennsylvania was started about 1683, where "reading, writing, and casting accounts" were taught for eight English shillings per annum. The Orrery invented by Dr. Rittenhouse, in 1768, is still preserved in Princeton College. No European institution had its equal. Churches were established by the various denominations. The Swedes had a meeting-house erected even before the landing of Penn. Ministers' salaries were met in different ways, generally with produce-wheat, corn, beans, bacon, wood, etc. In New York, the Dutch dominie was paid sometimes in wampum. The dominie of Albany on one occasion received one hundred and fifty beaver skins. 3. The Southern Colonies met with great difficulties in their efforts to establish schools. Though Virginia boasts of the second oldest college, yet her English governors bitterly opposed the progress of education. Governor Berkeley, of whose haughty spirit we have already heard, said, "I thank God there are no free schools nor printing-presses here, and I hope we shall not have them these hundred years." The restrictions upon the press were so great that no newspaper was published in Virginia until 1736, and that was controlled by the government. Free schools were established in Maryland in 1696, and a free school in Charleston in 1712. Private schools were early established by the colonists in every neighborhood. A farm of one hundred acres was set apart by law for each clergyman, and also a portion of the "best and first gathered corn" and tobacco. Absence from church was fined. In Georgia, masters were compelled to send their slaves to church, under a penalty of £5. 1607. Jamestown founded by the London Company. First permanent En glish settlement in America, May 13 1609. Virginia received its second charter, June 2 1610. "Starving Time" in Virginia 1612. Virginia received its third charter, March 22 PAGE 38, 46 48 48 49 PAGE 1613. Pocahontas married Rolfe, April. Settlement of New York by the Dutch. 1614. Smith explored the New England Coast 1615. Culture of tobacco commenced in Virginia 1619. First Colonial Assembly, July 30 . Slavery introduced in the English colony at Jamestown 1620. Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. First permanent English settlement in New England, December 21 1622. Indian massacre in Virginia, March 22 New Hampshire granted to Gorges and Mason, August 10 1623. New Hampshire settled at Dover and Portsmouth. 1629. Charter granted to Massachusetts Bay Colony, March 4 New patent for New Hampshire granted to Mason, November 7 1630. First house built in Boston, under Governor Winthrop, July 1632. Maryland granted to Lord Baltimore, June 20. 1634. Maryland settled at St. Mary's 1633-36. Connecticut settled at Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield 1635. Clayborne's rebellion in Virginia and Maryland 1636. Rhode Island settled at Providence, June. 1637. Pequod War. 1638. New Haven Colony founded 49 65 53 50 49 50 53 51 60 61 56 61 56 72 72 61 73 64 62 63 Charter granted to Rhode Island.-Providence and Rhode Island 65 1655. Civil War in Maryland 73 New Sweden conquered by the Dutch, October 1660. Navigation Act, passed in 1651, now enforced. 1662. Charter granted to Connecticut, April 20 1663. Albemarle Colony formed, March 24. 1664. New Netherland conquered by the English and called New York, Delaware granted to William Penn by the Duke of York, Aug. 31 1683. Philadelphia founded by William Penn, February. 70 70 1686. Andros arrived in Boston as governor of New England, Dec. 20 1689. King William's War. 1702. Queen Anne's War commenced Delaware secured a separate legislative assembly 1710. Port Royal, N. S., captured by the English and named Annapolis 1713. Queen Anne's War closed by the treaty of Utrecht 1732. Washington born, February 22 1733. Georgia settled by Oglethorpe at Savannah, February 12 1739. The Spanish War began. 1748. King George's War ended by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle . Braddock defeated in the battle of Monongahela, July 9 Louisburg taken by Amherst and Wolfe, July 27. 1759. Ticonderoga and Crown Point abandoned by the French PAGE 79 72 79 80 76 76 80 80 80 81 81 83 85 84 86 83 87 86 87 86 87 85 87 87 89 89 89 90 REFERENCES FOR READING. Palfrey's History of New England.-Parkman's Conspiracy of Pontiac.-Neal's History of the Puritans.-Holmes' Robinson of Leyden (Poem).—Mrs. Hemans' Landing of the Pilgrims (Poem).—Martyn's Pilgrim Fathers of New England.-Elliott's History of New England.Hopkins' Youth of the Old Dominion.-Simms' Smith and Pocahontas.-Mrs. Sigourney's Pocahontas (Poem).-Longfellow's Courtship of Miles Standish, and Evangeline (Poems).-Holland's Bay Path.-Irving's Knickerbocker's History of New York, and King Philip's War (Sketch Book).-Cooper's Last of the Mohicans.-James' Ticonderoga.-Hubbard's History of Indian Wars in New England.-Hall's Puritans and their Principles.-Randall's School History of New York.-Paulding's Ode to Jamestown (Poem), and his Dutchman's Fire-Side (a novel).—Street's Frontenac (a romance).—Mrs. Childs' Hobomok (a novel).-Margaret Smith's Journal (by Whittier).-Harper's Magazine, Vol. 52, Up the Ashley and Cooper (Life in Colony of S. C.); Vol. 66, Maryland and the Far South, The Middle Colonies, New England in Colonial Period, and The French Voyageurs.-Sanborn's History of New Hampshire.-Holland's History of Western Massachusetts.-Greene's History of Rhode Island.-Hollister's History of Connecticut.-Cooke's Stories of the Old Dominion.-Eggleston's Pocahontas, The "American Commonwealths" Series.-Towle's Raleigh, Vasco da Gama, etc. |