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I have seen the glories of art and architecture, and mountain and river; I have seen the sun set on Jungfrau, and the full moon rise over Mont Blanc; but fairest vision on which these eyes ever looked was the flag of my country in a foreign land. Beautiful as a flower to those who love it, terrible as a meteor to those who hate it, it is a symbol of the power and glory and the honor of ninety millions of Americans.

George F. Hoar.

RÉSUMÉ OF UNITED STATES

HISTORY

CHAPTER I.

THE AGE OF DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION.

The history of civilization, to a far greater degree than has been realized until recently, is the history of trade. For the last few centuries the wars that have been fought--whatever the causes set forth in formal proclamations—have been waged for commercial reasons; and the demands of trade, at the close of the fifteenth century, led to the discovery of a new world.

From very early times the luxuries of Europe had been imported from the East. Silks, spices, ivory, costly woods and incense were brought across the deserts of Asia by caravans and were reloaded upon vessels for various European ports. At best this was a costly undertaking, and only the wealthy could afford to buy the precious wares when at last they were displayed for sale. However, the Turks had gradually extended their territory westward, and after the fall of Constantinople, in 1453, the well-established caravan routes were no longer even moderately secure from marauding bands. As a consequence, it became apparent that if the profitable trade of the Orient were not to be wholly lost, some new way of reaching the desired land must be found.

The Renaissance had awakened the minds of men and set them thinking. Some read diligently the writings and philosophies of the ancients, and, under their inspiration, brought forth literary masterpieces of their own. Painters caught the spirit of the Greeks and created wonderful pictures which astonish and mystify the world today. Men of more practical bent applied their attention to matters of every day concern, and mariners, grown more venturesome, were much assisted by the invention of the compass and the astrolabe. The Portuguese produced many bold sailors and one of their

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