became Texas." Texas is called the Lone Star State, the Texas flag, before the admission of the State into the Union, having a single star. Iowa.—This, according to Trumbull, is "the French form of an Indian word signifying the drowsy or the sleepy ones." Iowa is called the Hawkeye State, after an Indian chief (note on p. 262). WISCONSIN.-This State takes its name from a tributary of the Mississippi discovered by Marquette, and called by him Masconsin (wild, rush ing channel). Masconsin became changed to Ouisconsin, and finally to Wisconsin. Owing to the great number of badgers that were formerly in the State, it became known as the Badger State. CALIFORNIA. -A romance was published in Spain, in 1510, in which the word California, applied to an imaginary island, for the first time occurs. Cortes had read the book, it is supposed, and when he sailed along the west coast of Mexico, in 1535, he called the country California. It has been suggested that the root of the word is Arabic, meaning caliph. California is known as the Golden State, it being the most important gold-producing region in the world. MINNESOTA. This name is from two Indian words, signifying skycolored water. Minnesota is the North Star State. 66 OREGON." This name," says Trumbull, comes from an Indian language, with which the traveler Carver had been for many years familiar, and it is the accurate translation into that language of the name by which, as Carver had reason for believing, the 'Great River of the West' was designated by the tribes that lived near it." Owing to a peculiarity of the climate of Oregon-dry months in the summer and early autumn, and excessive rain in the winter-the State, particularly that portion lying west of the Cascade Mountains, has been called the Web-foot Country. The inhabitants are called Web-foots. KANSAS.-An Indian word, signifying smoky water. The name Garden of the West is often given to this State. WEST VIRGINIA.-West Virginia, because of its grand mountain scenery, is called the Switzerland of America. The term is also applied to New Hampshire. NEVADA. This State was named from the mountain range on the west of it, called the Sierra Nevada. The two words, Sierra Nevada, are Spanish, the former meaning serrated or saw-toothed, the latter, snowy. NEBRASKA. The word is of Indian origin, signifying shallow water. It was first applied to the Platte River, which runs through the State. COLORADO.-This word is Spanish, meaning red or ruddy. Colorado is called the Centennial State (p. 333). NOTE. For other States see pages 348, 349, 354. 1 George Washington.. Virginia.... April 30, 1789.. John Adams. 3 Thomas Jefferson.... Virginia..........March 4, 1801 Aaron Burr. 4 James Madison George Clinton. Virginia........ March 4, 1809 Elbridge Gerry.* 5 James Monroe 6 John Q. Adams........ Virginia....... March 4, 1817.. Daniel D. Tompkins. 7 Andrew Jackson..... Tennessee........ March 4, 1829 John C. Calhoun.t Martin Van Buren. March 4, 1837.. Richard M. Johnsor.. March 4, 1845.. George M. Dallas. March 5, 1849. Millard Fillmore. 14 Franklin Pierce.... New Hampshire.. March 4, 1853.. William R. King.* 15 James Buchanan..... Pennsylvania.... March 4, 1857.. John C. Breckinridge. John Adams. 1735, Massachusetts... 1826, Massachusetts.... Colossus of Debate.2 Old Hickory." J. Q. Adams 1767, Massachusetts... 1848, Washington City. Old Man Eloquent.5 Polk Fillmore Pierce.. .... ...... 1841, Washington City. 1795, North Carolina.. 1849, Tennessee... ........ Sage of Kinderhook." 1850, Washington City. Old Rough and Ready.11 1800, New York.. 1874, New York....... 2d Accidental Pres't. 12 1804, New Hampshire. 1869, New Hampshire. .... Buchanan... 1791, Pennsylvania.... 1868, Pennsylvania.. Bachelor President.13 Johnson.... 1. See the History, p. 228.-2. Hist., p. 162.-3. Hist., p 240.-4. Hist., p. 206.--5. After his presidential term he was a member of Congress, where his eloquence in favor of he "right of petition" gained him the title. For a long time Congress refused to have read petitions for the abolition of slavery.-6. So called by the soldiers under his command in the second war with England. At first they said that he was as "tough as hickory."-7. He was born and he died at Kinderhook, N. Y.-8. Hist., p. 242.-9. Hist., p. 273.-10. It was said that he looked and acted like Old Hickory (Jackson).—11. A term of affection applied to him by his soldiers in the Mexican War (p. 282).-12. Hist., p. 283.-13. He never was married.-14. Hist., p. 298.-15. Hist., p. 327.-16. Hist., p. 309. -17. Hist., p. 389.-18. Hist., p. 340. (See Map 8.) Original Territory.-The territorial limits of the United States at the close of the Revolution extended to the Mississippi on the west and the great lakes on the north, but not to the Gulf of Mexico (p. 200). The Louisiana Purchase.—The first acquisition was a vast domain stretching from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, purchased of France in 1803 (p. 233). All the present States of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, with the greater part of Minnesota and Kansas, and a small portion of Colorado and Wyoming, belonged to it. The part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi belonged to the original territory. Florida. The second acquisition was Florida. This was made in 1819-21, by purchase from Spain (p. 262). Oregon. The region west of the Rocky Mountains, north of California, was long known as Oregon. It was claimed by the United States and Great Britain. The claim of the United States had for its basis discovery, exploration, settlement, and a title acquired from Spain (p. 297). In 1846 Great Britain abandoned her pretensions to all south of the 49th parallel (p. 298). This region, from that parallel to California, includes the States of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Texas, California, etc.-Texas was acquired by annexation (p. 275), and the immense tract now belonging to the United States between that State and the Pacific, was afterward acquired from Mexico by conquest and purchase (pp. 280, 285). All the present States of California, Nevada, and Utah, and the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona, with such portion of Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming as was not included in the Louisiana Purchase, belonged to the region acquired by annexation, or by conquest and purchase, from Mexico. Alaska. This territory, formerly known as Russian America, was purchased of Russia in 1867 (p. 329). NOTES. [The references refer to the pages of the history.] 1. The City of Mexico, when Cortes entered it, in 1519 (p. 30), con tained about 60,000 houses and 500,000 inhabitants, and was supplied with pure water by means of "an aqueduct that was carried over hill and valley for several miles on huge buttresses of masonry." One of the houses, a palace of stone, was large enough to hold the entire army of the Spanish conqueror. The most remarkable building was a religious temple, five stories high, coated with hewn stones. Its roof was a large area paved with uniform flat stones. On it were two great towers. The Mexicans were then very skilful in casting metals, engraving, carving, and weaving cotton cloth. They also made beautiful garments of the feathers of birds. From the curious little insect, the cochineal, they procured a rich crimson dye for their cotton fabrics. In their market-place in the city of Mexico, where their fairs were held every fifth day, were displayed bananas, maize, ornaments of gold, carved vases of gold and silver, vessels made of an alloy of tin and copper, knives and scissors of this alloy, sculptured images, utensils of earthenware, cups of painted wood, and many other things. Their traffic was carried on partly by barter and partly by money in the shape of quills filled with gold dust, of bits of tin, and bags of grain. It is not to be supposed that Cortes, with his Spanish soldiers alone, conquered the Aztecs, the ruling Mexican power. He was aided by tribes of Indians who hated the Aztec rule. 2. Montezuma (p. 30).—Pretending to be friendly, Cortes, with some of his officers, went to Montezuma's palace and treacherously made a captive of him. The monarch was kept a prisoner seven months till his people, maddened by the wrongs to which they were subjected, rose against the Spaniards. Cortes thought that if the excited people could see their monarch, and hear his words advising them to disperse, the outbreak would be brought to an end. Accordingly, Montezuma was induced to come out of his prison, and from its battlement address his subjects; but his appeal in behalf of the white men maddened them still |