Books with author John Van Duyn Southworth

An engaging account of American history told through twenty-five biographies, representing the most important builders of our country from the year 1000 to the beginnings of the American Revolution, with each hero receiving attention in proportion to the reach of his influence or that of the group of which he is the central figure. The order of presentation is very nearly chronological, except where there is a greater advantage in grouping locally. In returning to any region, the reader is reminded of events previously occurring in the same locale, so as to strengthen his sense of both time and place.

A lively account of American history told through thirty-one biographies, beginning with Patrick Henry at the start of the Revolutionary War and ending with Andrew Carnegie at the close of the nineteenth century. The biographies are so chosen as to acquaint the reader with the chief personages and events in our national life, fixing them in his or her mind by many striking and vivid pictures of each. The heroes are treated in proportion to the reach of their influence, and include numerous inventors in addition to political and military figures.

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Originally published in 1906 as part of the author’s larger “Builders of Our Country, Book I,” this Kindle edition, equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 60 pages, describes, in simple language for young readers, the stories of the great American colonists, including John Smith, Miles Standish, Roger Williams, William Penn, and others.CONTENTSI. Sir Walter RaleighII. John SmithIII. Miles StandishIV. John WinthropV. Roger WilliamsVI. Peter MinuitVII. Peter StuyvesantVIII. Lord BaltimoreIX. William PennX. James OglethorpeSAMPLE PASSAGE:Now, up to this time the Dutch had lived on the island of Manhattan without questioning whether it was right or wrong for them to do so. When Peter Minuit came, he said that the island belonged to the Indians, and that they must be paid for it before the Dutch could call it their own. So he sent to the Indians inhabiting Manhattan and asked them to sell the island to him.The Indian chiefs were willing to part with the land and sold the whole island to the Dutch for twenty-four dollars’ worth of beads, ribbons, knives, and blankets. There must have been a great pile of these trinkets which the natives valued so much; and as they knew that there was plenty of land to the West, it is probable that they were well pleased with their bargain.You see, the Indians did not know the value of gold and silver money. The only money they knew or valued was what they called wampum. This wampum was made of shells or beads which had holes through them and were strung on strings. A string of colored beads would buy twice as much corn as a string of the same number of white beads.About the Author:Gertrude van Duyn Southworth was the author of several books for young readers, including “The Story of the Empire State” and “Great Cities of the United States.”

Originally published in 1906 as part of the author’s larger “Builders of Our Country, Book I,” this Kindle edition, equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 100 pages, describes, in simple language for young readers, the stories of the great explorers, including Christopher Columbus, Sir Francis Drake, Henry Hudson, and others.CONTENTSI. Leif the LuckyII. Marco PoloIII. Christopher ColumbusIV. John CabotV. Ponce de Leon VI. Hernando CortezVII. Balboa and PizarroVIII. Hernando de SotoIX. Sir Francis DrakeX. Sir Walter Raleigh XI. Henry HudsonXII. VerrazanoXIII. Jacques CarrierXIV. Jean RibautXV. ChamplainXVI. Joliet And MarquetteXVII. La SalleSAMPLE PASSAGE: When they were again out upon the sea and could see no land, the fears of the sailors rose. What horrible monsters would they meet? What if they should fall off the edge of the earth! What if this wind that carried them on so swiftly should prevent their going home! As the weeks passed and no land appeared, a mutiny threatened to break out. But Columbus, noticing this restlessness and growing fear among the men, encouraged them from day to day with new hope. After a few weeks they came into a region where the air was soft and balmy. Queer objects were floating out to meet them—sticks carved with strange figures, and once a branch of berries. Now the men were very happy, and all kept a diligent lookout for land. One evening a sailor spied something dark against the horizon. “Land!” he shouted. When morning came, there, stretched before them, was the New World. Red-skinned natives were running excitedly up and down the shores wondering who these strange white people were.About the Author:Gertrude van Duyn Southworth was the author of several books for young readers, including “The Story of the Empire State” and “Great Cities of the United States.”

Originally published in 1907 as part of the author’s larger “Builders of Our Country, Book II,” this Kindle edition, equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 40 pages, describes, in simple language for young readers, the story of George Washington--the commander of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States.CONTENTSI. BoyhoodII. The SurveyorIII. Governor Dinwiddie’s MessengerIV. Great Meadows and Fort NecessityV. Braddock’s CampaignVI. Second Attack on Fort DuquesneVII. Life in VirginiaVIII. The Campaign Before Boston and Around New YorkIX. The Retreat Across New JerseyX. In Pennsylvania; Arnold’s TreasonXI. YorktownSample passage:All through the night the English sentries pacing back and forth watched the gleam of Washington’s campfires and listened to the thud, thud of falling earth as the Americans worked on their entrenchments. Little did they suppose that only a few men were making all that noise and tending all those fires. Such was the case, nevertheless. While the campfires blazed and the digging went on, Washington and his army were slipping away toward Princeton. Washington had reasoned that in Princeton he would find so small an English force left to guard the stores that his army could defeat it and capture the supplies. About sunrise Princeton was reached, and the battle was on. In less than half an hour it was over, and Washington had once more come off victorious.About the Author:Gertrude van Duyn Southworth was the author of several books for young readers, including “The Story of the Empire State” and “Great Cities of the United States.”

Originally published in 1907 as part of the author’s larger “Builders of Our Country, Book II,” this Kindle edition, equivalent in length to a physical book of approximately 32 pages, describes, in simple language for young readers, the story of Abraham Lincoln--the 16th President of the United States.CONTENTSPART I. ABRAHAM LINCOLN BEFORE 1861I. Lincoln’s BirthplaceII. Lincoln the BoyIII. Lincoln Starts Out for HimselfIV. Lincoln the LawyerV. Lincoln the PoliticianPART II. PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND THE CIVIL WARI. The Division of the UnionII. July 1861–September 1862III. January 1863—April 1865IV. Lincoln’s DeathSample passage:With the repeal of the Missouri compromise in 1854 his interest in the slave question became so intense that he once more entered politics. And when in the fall of that year Stephen A. Douglas spoke in Springfield, justifying the repeal, it was Lincoln who was called upon to answer his arguments. This was only the first of many public debates on slavery between Lincoln and the “Little Giant,” as Douglas was called.In his speeches Lincoln voiced his honest opinion of the great question that was uppermost in all men’s minds. He held that in the words “all men are created equal,” the Declaration of Independence meant to say that black as well as white men were entitled to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” He said that he firmly believed that slavery should not be allowed in new states; and he stoutly asserted that the Government could not go on half slave and half free.About the Author:Gertrude van Duyn Southworth was the author of several books for young readers, including “The Story of the Empire State” and “Great Cities of the United States.”

Excerpt from Builders of Our Country, Vol. 1OF the narrative forms of history, the biographical has proved by far the most interesting and serviceable for boys and girls of ten or twelve; and experience tells us that for children of this age events in the lives of men must be told in a way that fixes those events by many striking and vivid pictures of each.In the twenty-five biographies here given, representing the most important builders of our country from the year 1000 to the beginnings of the American Revolution, the hero of each has received attention in proportion to the reach of his influence or of that of the group of which he is the central figure. The order of presentation is very nearly chronological, being otherwise only where there is a greater advantage in grouping locally; and, in returning to any region, the reader is referred to what he has already learned of events on the same soil. Thus, there is no confusion in his mind as to either place or time.It is hoped that the present volume will be found ade quate in every respect for the teaching of the elementary history of the period covered. It may be noted that it conforms minutely to the requirements of the Fifth Grade set down in the new Elementary Syllabus of the Department of Education of the State of New York.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.