Biography: Wm. H. Harrison, Frost's Lives of the Presidents, pp. 271-304. JAMES K. POLK'S ADMINISTRATION. (ONE TERM, What to Teach: Dr. Whitman and Oregon; " Fifty-FourForty or Fight!" The Treaty with England; Attitude of the North and the South toward the Mexican War; Causes of the War; How the War Began; The Character of the Struggle, and a Comparison between the American and the Mexican Soldiers; Results of the War; Discovery of Gold in California, and Results. I. REFERENCES. Scudder, pp. 335–339 ; Wright's American Progress, pp. 242-247, 289-298; Higginson's Young Folks, pp. 271274; Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 359–362; Richardson, pp. 375-377, 397-401; Montgomery, pp. 256-259, 263-265. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. Dr. Whitman, Montgomery, pp. 257, 258; California and the Russians, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 353355; Fremont and California, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 355-357. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History: The North-west Boundary, Wright's American Progress, pp. 268-278; Discovery of Gold, Wright's American Progress, pp. 279-299; Century, November, 1890, and Subsequent Numbers; War with Mexico, Richardson, 378-396, and Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 314–350; California, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 353–362 ; Oregon, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 363-386; Grant's Memoirs, I. discusses the following topics in the Mexican War: Causes of the War, pp. 47, 54, 58, 68; Injustice of the War, pp. 53, 55; Smuggling under Spanish Rule, pp. 65-67; Army of Occupation, pp. 67-83; General Taylor's Army from Resaca de la Palma to the Surrender of Monterey, pp. 92-118; Political Intrigue, pp. 119-123, 172174; Gen. Taylor at Buena Vista, p. 123; Gen. Scott at Vera Cruz, pp. 124-134; Capture of the City of Mexico, pp. 140-164; Negotiation and Treaty of Peace, pp. 147– 149, 172, 192. Exploration of the North-west Coast and Hudson Bay, D'Anvers's Heroes of American Discovery, pp. 200-220; Gen. Zacharay Taylor (Lee & Shepard's Rough and Ready Series). Fiction: "Golden Days of '49," Munroe. Poetry: The Crisis, Whittier; The Angels of Buena Vista, Whittier; The Martyr of Monterey, Whittier; The Biglow Papers (For Teachers), Lowell; Stanzas for the Times, Whittier; To Faneuil Hall, Whittier; The White Slaves (For Teachers), Proctor. Biography: Mrs. Polk, Gordon's Lady Washington to Mrs. Cleveland, pp. 207-237; Polk, Frost's Lives of the Presidents, pp. 323-354. IV. SUGGESTIVE NOTES. Whatever may have been the ostensible causes, the real cause of the Mexican War was slavery. The slave-holding planter desired new territory for the extension of his pet system, and to secure such extension he was willing to wage an unjust war against a neighboring country too weak to offer a successful resistance. The attitude of this country toward Mexico in annexing Texas, and in inventing miserable subterfuges as a pretext for hostilities, was unworthy of a high civilization. The Mexican troops were no match for those of the United States, and were disastrously beaten even in battles where their numbers seemed overwhelming. Among the reasons accounting for this were the inferior intelligence and organization of the Mexican Army. We recommend that only the opening engagements of this war be taught. The results were of the highest importance, and so was the discovery of gold in the territory acquired by the treaty of peace. TAYLOR AND FILLMORE'S ADMINISTRATION. (ONE TERM, 1849-1853.) What to Teach: The Question of the Extension of Slavery; The Compromise of 1850; The Fugitive Slave Law and its Results; The Underground Railroad. I. REFERENCES. Montgomery, pp. 265-269; Barnes's Brief, p. 193; Taylor's Model History, pp. 231-235; Eliot, pp. 396-399; Johnston, pp. 183-186; Ellis, II., pp. 362-367; Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 387-391. II. SPECIAL TOPICS. Slave Trade, McMaster, II., pp. 15-18; Slave Laws, McMaster, II., pp. 19, 20; Kidnapping, Coffin's Building the Nation, p. 399; The Underground Railroad, Coffin's Building the Nation, p. 248; Beginning of Underground Railroad, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 419-421; Aunt Rachel's Escape, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 421– 422. III. OUTSIDE READINGS. History: Slavery and Politics, Scudder, pp. 324-329; Annexation of Texas, Scudder, pp. 334-339; The Approaching Conflict, Scudder, pp. 369-374; Prejudice against Color, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 282–291; Beginning of a Great Movement, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 305-314; Compromise of 1850, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 387-399; Enforcement of Fugitive Slave Law, Coffin's Building the Nation, pp. 399-407; The Underground Railroad, Coffin's Building the Nation, Pp. 418-425; Slavery in the United States, Richardson, pp. 403-409; Effects of Slavery, Richardson, pp. 409–412 ; A New Party, Richardson, pp. 413-416; Fugitive Slave Law, Richardson, pp. 417-420; Life in the South, McMaster, II., pp. 7-15; The North and the South, Scudder's Short History, pp. 173-181; Compromise of 1850, Schurz's Henry Clay, II., pp. 315-373; Closing Period of Web ster's Life, Teft's Webster and His Masterpieces, I., pp. 422-466; The Free Negroes of North Carolina, Atlantic Monthly, January, 1886. Biography: Taylor, Frost's Lives of Presidents, pp. 355-386; Fillmore, Frost's Lives of Presidents, pp. 387– 392. Poetry The Slave Ships, Whittier; Our Countrymen in Chains, Whittier; Astrea at the Capitol, Whittier; The Farewell (A Virginia slave-mother to her daughter sold into bondage), Whittier; The Slave's Dream, Longfellow; The Slave and the Dismal Swamp, Longfellow; The Negro's Complaint (Cowper), Union Speaker, pp. 257, 258; Slavery (Cowper), Union Speaker, pp. 259-261; The African Chief (Bryant), pp. 294–296. Fiction: Uncle Remus, Harris; Uncle Tom's Cabin, Stowe; Minister's Wooing, Stowe. Oratory: Webster's Oration on the Compromises of the Constitution, Teft's Webster and His Masterpieces, II., pp. 489-536; His Oration on the Admission of California (a hard blow at secession); Henry Clay on the Compromises of 1850, Johnston's American Orations, II., pp. 118-135; Wendell Phillips on the Philosophy of the Abolition Movement, Johnston's American Orations, II., pp. 135-183. |