story is but the record of the public and official acts of human
beings. It is our object, therefore, to humanize our history and deal
with people past and present; people who ate and possibly drank; people
who were born, flourished, and died; not grave tragedians, posing
perpetually for their photographs.

If we succeed in this way, and administer historical truth in the smooth
capsule of the cartoonist and the commentator, we are content. If not,
we know whose fault it will be, but will not get mad and swear about it.

BILL NYE.

FRED'K B. OPPER.

* * * * *

[Illustration: BILL NYE'S FIELD OF HISTORIC RESEARCH.]

CHAPTER I. PAGE

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 13

CHAPTER II.

OTHER DISCOVERIES--WET AND DRY 23

CHAPTER III.

THE THIRTEEN ORIGINAL COLONIES 36

CHAPTER IV.

THE PLYMOUTH COLONY 47

CHAPTER V.

DRAWBACKS OF BEING A COLONIST 55

CHAPTER VI.

THE EPISODE OF THE CHARTER OAK 62

CHAPTER VII.

THE DISCOVERY OF NEW YORK 72

CHAPTER VIII.

THE DUTCH AT NEW AMSTERDAM 82

CHAPTER IX.

SETTLEMENT OF THE MIDDLE STATES 92

CHAPTER X.

THE EARLY ARISTOCRACY 102

CHAPTER XI.

INTERCOLONIAL AND INDIAN WARS 110

CHAPTER XII.

PERSONALITY OF WASHINGTON 124

CHAPTER XIII.

CONTRASTS WITH THE PRESENT DAY 131

CHAPTER XIV.

THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR 142

CHAPTER XV.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, LL.D., PHG, F.R.S., ETC. 152

CHAPTER XVI.

THE CRITICAL PERIOD 160

CHAPTER XVII.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END 170

CHAPTER XVIII. PAGE

TH