al colonies came to know
each other better, and this knowledge ripened into affection. The soldiers
on their return home did much to disseminate the good feeling.

In the second place, the French and Indian War by annihilating all the
claims of France to American soil removed the principal enemy that had
rendered the protection of England necessary to the colonies.

In the third place, this war gave the colonists an experience in military
affairs and a confidence in their own powers which emboldened them to dare
open rebellion.

And in the fourth place, this war produced the debt which led to the
taxation which was the most immediate cause of the outbreak.

2. _Various tyrannical acts of the king_. These are given explicitly in
the Declaration of Independence.

_Some Pertinent Questions._

Name a country in the world's history that ever allowed its colonies
representation in its home parliament or legislative body. Name one that
does it today. Why do territories in this country desire to become states?

Name some country, other than England, which could have given birth to the
United States. Prove your proposition.

The Duc de Choiseul, the French minister who signed the treaty whereby
France yielded to England her claims to American soil, remarked after
doing it, "That is the beginning of the end of English power in America."
What did he mean? Upon what did he base his opinion? Why did France help
the Americans in the Revolutionary War?

What is meant, in speaking of the colonies, by _royal province?_ _Charter_
government? _Proprietary_ government?

What experience in law making did the colonists have? Where and when did
the first representative assembly in America convene? Find in the
Declaration of Independence an expression complaining of
non-representation in parliament.

To the patriotic and far sighted men who had striven to form a union of
the colonies, did the religious differences which frustrated their plans
seem fortunate or unfortunate? Can you see how it came about that we have
no state church, that we enjoy religious freedom? Doesn't it seem that
there must have been a Planner wiser than any man who was working out His
own designs?

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.

WHAT PRECEDED THEM.

The Revolutionary Period.--The nation was born July 4, 1776. From that
time until the adoption of the articles of confederation in 1781 the
people of the United States carried on